Nothing's Wrong with Dreaming
by xHypnotizedx
Summary: What happens when the McFLY boys and two friends go on a road trip and things suddenly take a wrong turn?
1. Road Trip!

**A/N hellooooo okay so yeah I haven't stopped working on You've Got A Friend I'm just workin on this one at the same time. so...I might not have updates as often, especially cuz school starts soon but I'll try my best :D  
Anyyyyyways on with the story!**

**Chapter1**

The four boys sat at a rectangular table in a row outside the record shop. It had been nearly two hours and all of them felt as if their hands were going to fall off. Tom smiled cheekily at each fan as he signed their single, but the look in his eyes was sheer boredom. Harry sat on the edge of his seat signing each single as fast as he could as if that would make this go any faster. Danny said hello to each fan and tried chatting up any girls he thought were fit along the way. And Dougie sat at the end of the table sulking, as he couldn't sign anything after his skate accident.

"What happened?" A small girl asked as Dougie snapped his head back up after nearly falling asleep. She was maybe eleven or twelve years old and she was pointing to Dougie's casts. He had one on each arm, one was black and one was white.

"I was skateboarding," Dougie told her, "And…well to put it simply I'm a total idiot and I fell face first, catching myself and snapping both wrists. So, that's pretty much the reason I can't sign anything. I'm really sorry"

"That's okay," she smiled at him, "Feel better!"

"Thanks," he said drumming on the table with two Sharpies. The rest of the boys were bored, but at least they had something to do. He was just glad they were on holiday after this so they wouldn't have to worry about finding a backup bassist.

"How much longer?" Danny asked him through gritted teeth as he signed another single. Dougie just shrugged looking down at the CD which stared back up at him. "Obviously" it said in big letters. He didn't like the way he looked in that picture that was on the cover, but then again he never liked himself in pictures.

Finally after another seemingly endless half hour the four of them were done for the day. They all piled into Tom's mini and headed home.

"My whole arm hurts," Harry complained as they walked through the door.

"_Your_ arm hurts?" Dougie said holding up both casts. Harry grinned, "Oh…yeah sorry mate."

"How much longer in those things?" Danny asked opening the fridge.

"Like a month," Dougie shrugged, "Get me a root beer."

Danny pulled out a can of root beer and tossed it at Dougie. Dougie, being immobile in both arms, watched as the can hit him in the chest and fell to the ground.

"Are you an idiot?" Tom asked him, "Honestly, Danny the kid can't catch he has two casts on!"

"Sorry, sorry," Danny laughed picking up the can and handing it to Dougie who struggled to hold it in both wrapped hands. He set it on the table then tried to open it.

"Harry," he whined, "Can you open this?"

"Oh for the love of God," he sighed opening the can of soda for Dougie, "I don't know how much more of this I can take."

"_You?" _ Dougie said, "What about me! I'm the one who's a gimp here!"

Dougie sighed and leaned back in the chair at the kitchen table. Tom smiled and stuck a bendy straw in Dougie's soda so that he wouldn't have to pick it up and risk spilling it everywhere. Dougie smiled and sipped his root beer through a straw. A month with these casts on. What was he going to do?

"Gooooooood Afternoon everyone!" The four boys heard their front door open and they all looked to see who was walking inside. It was their friends Lauren and Riley. They were always hanging out at the McFLY house because Riley had been Danny's neighbors since the fourth grade and Lauren was Tom's cousin. Riley was seventeen and Lauren was eighteen. The two of them were best friends.

"Hey," the four boys said from the kitchen.

"Do you guys have any plans for the rest of the week?" Lauren asked them smiling.

They all looked at each other then shook their heads, "Nope."

"Guess where we're going?" Riley smiled. Harry, Tom, Danny and Dougie looked at each other, completely clueless. They looked back at the two girls and shrugged. They both smiled, "Road trip!"


	2. Let The Good Times Roll

**Chapter 2**

"To where, exactly?" Tom asked them with Harry next to him. They were the only ones who really seemed to care because the other two boys were already jumping up and down like small kids who were just told they were going to Disney World.

The two girls shrugged, "We just wanna take a few days to drive around England with you guys. Maybe go to Alton Towers for a day. We haven't seen you in so long!"

"Well, what do you say?" Tom asked turning back to the rest of the McFLY boys, although it was pretty apparent what their opinion was.

"Alright," Tom shrugged, "Road trip it is."

The two girls cheered and soon everyone except Tom and Harry jumping and cheering like little kids. "I swear we are the only sane ones here."

"So when do we leave?" Harry asked above the noise. Everyone stopped and Lauren shrugged, "Tomorrow. Get packing dudes."

The four boys all headed to their separate rooms to pack their things. Dougie shoved all the clothes he thought he'd need for the week into one bag then tried zipping it.

"HARRY!" he shouted through the house. Harry came running in. "What? What?"

"Can you zip this for me?" Dougie asked smiling cheekily.

Harry sighed heavily and knelt beside the suitcase and zipped it up for his friend, "There you go your majesty."

"Thanks, babe," he joked then got an odd look from Harry which was soon turned into a smile and then a full laugh. Dougie could get anyone to laugh, even Harry.

"Can I interrupt the happy couple for just one second?" Riley asked leaning against the doorframe. Dougie looked up and got a good look at Riley. She had on black skinny jeans and a yellow Billabong shirt. Her straight dirty-blonde hair looked perfect and her bangs were falling in her face. She had her arms folded across her chest and she was smiling. Dougie sat there on the ground, breathless.

"I was just leaving," Harry got up and headed out the door. Harry was the only one who knew about Dougie's crush on Riley. Of course, Dougie knew he'd never get her because she was over a year older and Danny's best friend. Riley walked in and sat down on Dougie's bed.

"So, what happened?" Riley asked him as he still sat on the ground next to his bags.

"Skateboard accident," he replied, "Snapped both my wrists."

"Ouch,' she said making a face. Dougie nodded, "It hurt like hell and just staring at my two broken wrists started to gross me out a bit. Tom nearly fainted."

"Did not!" he shouted from the hallway. Riley laughed, "Way to be a pansy, Tom!"

"I'm not a pansy!" he told her coming in from the hallway, "I just don't like blood…or broken bones."

"Pansy," Riley coughed and Dougie laughed and Tom shook his head walking away.

"This should be a fun week," Dougie smiled.

Danny walked into the room with his hands over his eyes, "Is everyone fully clothed in here?"

"Ha, ha. Funny Danny," Riley said getting up a hitting Danny over the head. Danny always assumed Dougie liked Riley but he also knew Riley didn't feel the same way. She was only just over a year older, but to her that was a lot. She was always like that, ever since Danny could remember. She was a month older than he was and to her, that was a lot. And she never failed to rub it in his face that she was older.

"But seriously, I am stoked!" he said doing a flying leap onto Dougie's bed.

"Yeah," Dougie sighed, "Me too."

"How ya holding up, Gimp?" Danny asked him. That had become his name now.

"Not bad," he said, "Except for the fact that I can't do anything on my own! AND they itch!"

"You poor thing," Riley pouted.

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?" Dougie smiled.

"No," she lied, getting up and letting Dougie chase her down the hallway.

"Well aren't they cute," Danny said to Tom leaning against the door. Tom laughed, "Don't encourage him, dude. You know how he'll get."

"I just don't see why age is such a big deal to Riley. Doug's a good kid."

"It doesn't matter," Tom shrugged, "She's over a year older than him. But even that's probably not the whole reason she won't go out with him. There might be something else."

"Tom, the way you understand the mind of a chick so well tends to scare me," Danny said turning back into his room.

"Haz!" Lauren shouted jumping on Harry's back as he came out of his room. He stumbled then laughed, "Hi Lauren."

"Did I scare you?" she asked him.

"No," he smiled as he kept walking, "I've missed you."

"I miss you too" Lauren said kissing him on the cheek. The two of them weren't going out. That was the funny thing, the never would have imagined going out. They had been best friends since the day they met and even Tom knew that. They would flirt, but that's it. Neither of them wanted to change that.

"How pumped are you?" Lauren asked him.

"Oh yeah, extremely pumped to spend a week in a car with five other people." He said sarcastically.

"Harry, I'm shocked! You don't want to go?" she asked him.

"No, I want to go." He said, "I'm just saying, this was _your_ idea. You've never spent that long in the same vehicle as Danny Jones."

_Danny Jones._ That name gave Lauren butterflies. He was the most perfect boy she had ever met. She loved everything about him. His straight brown hair, his freckly nose and shoulders, his blue eyes, his charm, everything about him was perfect. She didn't stand a chance though. He was in McFLY. He could have anyone he wanted.

"Oh, it can't be THAT bad." She laughed.

"Whatever you say," Harry shrugged setting his friend down. "But remember, this was _your_ idea."

They six of them all met in the living room to regroup. "Okay," Tom said taking charge like he usually did, "The guys and I will pack a few coolers to keep in the car while we're driving. We're obviously not taking my mini, though so does anyone have anything else in mind as to what we're going to drive?"

"My dad had an RV." Lauren shrugged, "It's not exactly the best thing in the world but it'll work."

"Alright," Tom said, "So we'll take that."

"It only has two beds though. So…" Lauren said. Everyone looked around and shrugged. No one really seemed to care. They'd think of something.

"Then it's settled." Tom said, "We're taking the RV. I'll drive first as I'm sure no one else wants to."

No one volunteered.

"Is everything finalized then?" Harry asked. Everyone nodded. Danny jumped onto the couch "Then let the good times roll!"


	3. Wrong Turn

"Get up!" Lauren felt someone tap her head. She checked the clock. 7:00am. Why was she up so early again?

"Come on, Lauren! The guys are going to be here soon!" Riley sighed. She may have been younger, but she was a bit moreresponsible. Ever since the two moved in together she was always the one waking Lauren up.

"Give me like five minutes" she mumbled.

Riley laughed, "Come on, dude."

She had been spending too much time with Dougie. She had gotten in the habit of calling everyone "dude" just like Dougie did.

"You can go back to sleep when we get in RV which by the way your dad parked out front."  
Lauren said nothing.

Riley sighed, "Fine. I'll just wait to get the boys to wake you up."

Lauren listened as Riley headed down the steps then she heard the stomping of four boys coming up the stairs, "Go on, mate." She heard someone whisper.

She heard footsteps walk over to her bed and she felt someone's face get closer and closer to hers until his mouth was right against her ear.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," the boy's perfect voice whispered, "Time to get up."

She pulled the covers over her head and he chuckled, "Oh, you're going to make this difficult aren't you?" He ripped the covers off of Lauren and she opened her eyes to see Danny Jones staring back at her. She felt her ears burn at the thought of Danny Jones in her room seeing her when she just woke up. "Morning," he grinned.

She smiled back and pushed herself out of bed then frantically looking for something to wear, "Where's everyone else?" She asked him.

"Packing the RV." Danny told her, "I didn't feel like helping."

"Of course you didn't," she giggled finally finding a shirt and jeans then stared back at Danny who was looking at her with his beautiful blue eyes.

"Uhh…do you mind?" she smiled at him.

"Oh, right." He said facing the corner and covering his eyes. Lauren rolled her eyes and changed then headed into the bathroom, "You can open your eyes now," she called back into her bedroom.

Danny walked out of her room and into the bathroom where she was brushing her long brown hair. He smiled, "Man, I am so stoked! This is gonna be totally wicked!"

"Yeah," Lauren smiled looking at Danny through the mirror, "I can't wait"

"Kay, well now it's your turn to get out," Danny told her, "Because I have to use your bathroom."

"Oh, so you're kicking me out of my own bathroom?" she smiled at him, "I see how it is."

"I mean you don't have to leave, I'm just saying…" Danny said fiddling with his belt buckle.

"Okay! Okay!" Lauren laughed leaving the bathroom, "I'm leaving"

"That's what I thought," Danny called back.

Lauren headed down to the driveway where the rest of them were still shoving all their bags into the RV. "Where's Danny?" Harry asked as Lauren walked over to him.

"Bathroom," she replied. He nodded, "Well tell him to hurry up. We could have been out of here already if someone would have woken up." He poked her in the ribs and she giggled, "Sorry! Sorry!"

Danny ran out the door buckling his belt, "Ready!" he shouted.

"Finally," Tom sighed climbing into the driver's seat. Everyone headed in the back.  
Dougie climbed into the passenger's seat next to Tom and they started driving.  
"What are you doing up here?" Tom asked taking a sip from his Starbucks cup. Dougie shrugged, "Just thought I'd keep you company."  
"Seriously…" Tom said smiling, "Why aren't you back in the party?" The two of them heard music blaring just after Tom said that.  
"I dunno," Dougie sighed trying to fit a pencil down the cast on his right arm, "I just don't want to is all."  
"Doug, is something wrong?" Tom asked, his eyes fixed on the road.  
"Yeah," Dougie said shoving the pencil deeper into the cast, "These casts itch like hell."  
Tom laughed, "No, not the casts, you idiot. Something else."  
"Yeah," Dougie sighed, "I just wish Riley would give me a chance. I mean, I might only have just turned sixteen, but I still want a chance."  
"So you do like her?" Tom smiled showing off his one dimple. Dougie nodded. "So, go back there and talk to her."  
"Yeah, alright." Dougie said climbing into the back. The RV was pretty nice. In the front, there was the driver's seat and behind it on one side were a door and the couch. Across from that were a table and two seats that looked like booths at restaurants. A little farther back was a small fridge and a few cabinets. If you kept walking on the right side there was a small bathroom and then if you kept going all the way to the back there were two beds. Everyone was sitting in the "living room" area either on the couch or on the floor. Dougie took a seat at the table and soon Riley joined him.  
"How's it going, Gimp?" she grinned.  
"Not bad," he smiled back. "Where are we going first on this wonderful trip you've planned?"  
She shrugged, "No idea. YO TOM! WHERE ARE WE GOING FIRST?" she shouted.  
"Uh…if we keep driving we should make it to Alton Towers by tonight, stay the night at a hotel and then be able to stay all day tomorrw." He shouted back.  
Riley turned back to Dougie, "Well there you have it."  
"Alton Toooowers!" Danny began singing from the couch, half asleep. Everyone looked at him and he sat up, "What?"  
Harry shook his head, "Mate, go back to sleep."  
A few hours into the ride all six of them got bored so Dougie put in one of his Blink 182 CDs and they all began singing.  
"And that's about the time she walked away from me!" Dougie sang  
"Nobody likes you when you're 23!" Harry joined in.  
"And are still more amused by TV shows!" Danny sang.  
"What the hell is ADD?" Riley shouted.  
"My Friends say I should act my age! What's my age again? What's my age again?" All of them laughed sitting around eating Twizlers and drinking root beer.  
"Harry," Dougie whined holding out his can of pop. Harry rolled his eyes and took it from him, opening it then handed it back.  
"Thanks cutie," he winked and they all cracked up.  
"You two honestly scare me." Lauren laughed.  
"Hey, it's him!" Harry pointed, "Not me!"  
"Whatever," Lauren shook her head, "If I see you two in the same bed back there, I swear to God I'm walking home!"  
"You'd like it!" Dougie shouted, throwing a half eaten Twizler at her.  
"Oh, you're right. I'd love it." She laughed tossing one back.  
"Tom," Harry said crawling back into the driver's seat, "You need a break?"  
"Yes. Thank you," Tom sighed pulling over and switching spots with Harry. Tom walked into the back and sat down with everyone else. The sun was setting behind the trees and it was about six o'clock by this time.  
"Haz, there's a short cut up through this camp," Lauren pointed out, "Take that road and follow it through the campsite, then back out. We always take that way when we're going to Alton Towers."  
"Alright," Harry shrugged and veered left then continued down the narrow road through the woods. It was dark, even if the sun hadn't set yet, just because the trees were so thick.  
"This is creepy, dude." Dougie said.  
"Are you afraid?" Riley teased him. He opened his mouth to protest but Harry turned sharply to the left throwing everyone either onto the ground or on top of someone else. Everyone heard a loud CRASH. Riley screamed and fell into Dougie and then everything stopped.  
"Harry, what the hell?" Tom asked as Harry got out of the car. Tom followed him but everyone else stayed inside.  
"This is like a bad horror movie," Riley said pushing herself off Dougie.  
"And you said I was the scared one" he asked with a smirk. She hit him in the shoulder and he lifted a hand to hit her back, then lowered it. He couldn't hit someone with a cast on. Riley stuck her tongue out at him.  
"What happened?" Danny asked. They all shrugged and Danny went outside to join Tom and Harry.  
"So what did you do to the RV, Harry?" Danny asked folding his arms. They had the hood open and it was smoking.  
"I didn't do anything!" he held his hands up defensively, "Does anyone know anything about cars?"  
"I doubt it," Danny shrugged, "What do you suppose we do?"  
"Let's just call someone for help." Tom said as Dougie, Lauren and Riley stepped outside. Everyone pulled out their cell phones.  
"No service," Tom, Harry and Lauren said.  
"Mine's dead," Danny and Riley shrugged.  
"And…I kinda forgot mine at the house," Dougie shrugged.  
"We're stuck out here…." Danny began, "With no cell phone service…."  
"Just a few coolers of food…" Tom added.  
"And each other…" Harry finished.  
"Oh shit."


	4. Make A Wish

Chapter 4

The six of them sat around for a few hours, not knowing what to do about the current situation.

"So…" Dougie said breaking the silence, "What do we do?"

"We could look for a gas station." Danny suggested.

"Where?" Harry asked, "We're in the middle of the goddamn woods!"  
"

Any better ideas, smartass?" Danny shot back.

"Hey!" Tom broke in, "If we're gonna find a way out of here we might want to actually get along."

"He started it!" Danny pointed. Tom smacked the both of them in the back of the head.

"Now does anyone have any other ideas?" Tom asked. Everyone shook their heads.

"Oh!" Lauren exclaimed, "We are at a camp after all. Look there are two cabins over there," she pointed, "Let's go see if there's any camp counselors or…or park rangers or something and we'll ask to borrow a phone."  
"When did you get so smart?" Riley asked her. Lauren stuck her tongue out at her and the six of them made their way across the woods.  
"What was that?!" Harry watched as Lauren jumped into Danny's arms. Danny laughed at her, "I stepped on a stick, Lauren. Chill out."  
Harry rolled his eyes  
"Sorry," she turned red, "I'm a little freaked out here."  
"That makes two of you," Riley pointed, "Doug's about to piss himself over here,"  
"Am not!" Dougie shouted back smiling and turning red at the same time, "I'm not scared."  
"Whatever you say…." She said then snuck up behind him, "BOO!"  
"AH!" he jumped nearly ten feet in the air. Riley laughed, "Still not scared?"  
"Tom!" Dougie whined, "I'm getting bullied!  
Tom whipped around and pointed at them, trying so hard to keep a straight face. "Riley, stop bullying Dougie. Dougie stop being a little girl about it. Anymore outbursts and I swear to God I will turn this search right around! Oi, I feel like my mother, you see what you guys are doing to me?"  
Dougie and Riley buried their faces in their hands to keep from laughing. "Way to go, Ri," Dougie giggled.  
"You two are like a couple of toddlers," Danny shook his head, "I swear."  
"Do you want to say that to my face?" Riley laughed, picking a fight with Danny who was very obviously much bigger than her. She stood on her toes trying to tower over Danny but she didn't stand a chance. Danny picked her up and threw her over his shoulder with no struggle.  
"Put! Me! Down!" she shouted pounding her fists into his back.  
"You started this fight," he told her. The two of them "fought" while Dougie and Lauren walked sorely next to them, watching their crushes flirt.  
The six of them made their way to the cabins in the woods. Danny, Harry and Lauren went to one and Dougie, Tom and Riley went to the other. They were going to see if there was anyone inside that could help them.  
Tom knocked on the door. No answer. He knocked again before checking the handle, "It's open," he said to everyone else. He opened the door and peeked his head in. It was pitch black, "Hello!"  
No answer.  
"This is freaking me out," Dougie said. Riley laughed, "Really? I'd have never guessed."  
"Shut up!" he laughed shoving her. The three of them walked back to meet up with the rest of the gang. Danny shrugged, "No one's in there."  
"No one was in ours either." Tom shrugged.  
"Creeeepy," Harry said.  
"Now what?" Dougie asked looking up at the star filled sky. Tom shrugged, "We might as well just stay the night here until we think of something. Let's get back to the car. I'm freezing."  
The six of them headed back to the RV and got all their clothes looking for hoodies and sweatpants. It was cold that night so Tom and Harry decided to go build a fire. Or attempt to, that is.  
"What are those two idiots doing?" Riley asked glancing out the window. Dougie looked back too and shrugged, "Making afire I guess."  
"Oh this isn't going to go well." She laughed. He laughed too and sat down next to her. They were both quiet. "Do you wanna go for a walk?" he asked out of nowhere.  
She looked at him for a minute, then smiled, "Sure."  
The two of them left the RV and passed Tom and Harry who were struggling to bring this fire alive.  
"Good luck, boys," Riley grinned as the two of them walked past. They could hear Lauren laughing from the other side of the oversized vehicle followed by Danny's signature howl. Harry sighed wondering what was so funny. He didn't really care at this point. Lauren liked Danny, but why did he care? They were friends and that's all he saw her as. Nothing more nothing less. Right?  
Riley looked up at the stars and she and Dougie walked silently on the dirt path. There was a grass clearing a few yards away from where their RV broke down so that's where the two of them headed.  
"Look!" Riley pointed, "A shooting star. Make a wish."  
Dougie and Riley both closed their eyes and wished on the shooting star then Riley ran ahead. "Where are you going?" Dougie laughed chasing her. She finally flopped into the grass and Dougie lay down next to her.  
"So," Riley said catching her breath, "What'd you wish for?"  
Dougie looked into her beautiful blue eyes and propped himself up on his elbow, "You."  
"Dougie," she sighed sitting up, "I like you. I like you a lot. But just as a friend, remember? I'm sorry. I don't mean to hurt you I just,"  
"No," Dougie said, sitting up as well, "It's fine. I get it. I'm just a little kid. I understand."  
"You're not a little kid," Riley sighed putting her arm around him. "It's just…I'm almost eighteen. And you just turned sixteen."  
"So?" he asked, "I have a friend whose parents are seven years apart."  
"Oh, so we're getting married now?" Riley giggled. Even Dougie had to crack a smile at that one.  
"You're my buddy." Riley said getting up, "But that's all." She held her hand out for Dougie to take it and she helped him up. Dougie hung his head, disappointed as the two of them headed back to see if Tom and Harry have killed themselves yet trying to build their fire. Riley rubbed her arms and Dougie took off his sweatshirt and handed it to her. She smiled and pulled it over her head, "Thanks."


	5. Heartbroken

**Chapter 5**

"IT'S ALIVE!" Tom shouted and he and Harry began cheering when Dougie and Riley got back to the RV.

"Yeah, but what happens If it rains?" Riley asked folding her arms and smiling, staring at the fire.

"Don't even think something like that," Tom warned, "This fire can't go out. It's our baby."

"Our baby?" Dougie looked at Harry, shocked, "Haz, you're cheating on me?"

"Oh ha ha," Harry glared at them, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "And why am I always the butt of the gay jokes, huh?"

"Who's gay?" Danny asked walking around the RV with Lauren next to him.

"No one!" Harry told him. Everyone else laughed.

"Nice fire you got going," Danny said poking at it with a stick then dropping it into the fire, "Now all we need are some marshmallows. You didn't happed to bring any, did ya, Tom?"

Tom sighed, "Yes. I did. I'll go get them."

"Riley, isn't that Dougie's sweatshirt?" Lauren asked. Riley turned red and nodded, "Yeah I was cold so he gave it to me."

Danny laughed his famous laugh, "Bad choice, Ri. You don't know where that thing's been. You don't know the last time he washed that."

"Very funny," Dougie glared at him. "You should tell jokes for a living."

"Maybe I should. Maybe I should just quit the band and be a comedian. Hey, hey, I got another one." He laughed, "Why doesn't the queen wave with this hand?" he held up his left hand.

"Danny don't!" Tom groaned opening a bag of marshmallows.

"Why?" Riley asked, smiling. She knew this one.

"'Cause it's mine!" he laughed.

"Boo!" everyone threw marshmallows at him and he held his hands up trying to deflect

them.

"What about this one?" Danny began.

"Jones!" Harry shouted, "No one wants to hear it. You aren't funny."

"Fine," Danny crossed his arm then grabbed a stick, shoved a marshmallow on it and stuck it in the fire.

"Hey Doug," Danny said after a few minutes, "I dare you to eat this bug."

Danny held up a small lightning by its leg. Dougie grinned. He never turned down a dare. "What's in it for me?"

"I have…" Danny reached into his pocket, "A box of mints, three bucks, a paper clip and a pick."

"I'll take the mints and the money," Dougie said holding his casted hand out, "You chew on your picks I don't want that."

"Fine," Danny handed him the money and the mints and Dougie managed to shove them into his pockets. Next Danny held out the bug and Dougie grabbed it between his thumb and his finger. Everyone watched.

"He won't do it," Riley grinned to Lauren, "There's no way."  
Dougie stared straight at her, tipped his head back, opened his mouth and dropped it in. He closed his eyes and chewed he glowing insect. Danny laughed, "I hear it crunching."

"That is disgusting," Lauren made a face. The rest of the boys just laughed and watched

Dougie continue to chew then swallow it. He opened his mouth showing that it was gone. Everyone cracked up.

"Mate, your tongue is glowing!" Harry laughed.

"No way!" Dougie shouted, "Wicked!"

Lauren giggled, "Why do you do this kind of stuff?"

"'Cause we get a kick out of it," Tom shrugged biting into a marshmallow. Dougie grinned cheekily and nodded, "Yup!"

Riley shook her head and stuck a marshmallow into the fire. Dougie looked over at her, the light from the fire dancing on her face and making her blue eyes glow. He softly smiled as he gazed into her eyes.

"Dude," Danny tapped his arm, "Dude!"

Dougie whipped his head around, "What?"

"Your marshmallow is on fire." He grinned. Dougie pulled his stick out of the fire and blew on his marshmallow that was now in flames. After the fire went out he pulled his now black marshmallow off the stick and stuffed it into his mouth. Soon his eyes grew huge.

"It's hot!" he managed to say with his mouth full.

"It was just on fire, Dougie." Lauren giggled.

"The attention span of a seven year old…" Danny shook his head grinning and poked at the fire with his stick. Lauren smiled at him as the wind blew his straight hair into his eyes. He swept it out of his face then dropped the stick and yawned.

"I'm going to bed, dudes. I'm tired. I call one of the beds!" he said.

"No way!" Lauren said, "I think me and Riley deserve them."

"Why?" he asked.

"'Cause we're the only girls here." Riley finished for her. Danny looked around at the rest of the guys. Harry shrugged, "They have a point."

"Thank you, Harry." Lauren smiled.

"Fine," Danny sighed, "I'll go sleep on the couch."

"I'm going in too." Tom yawned and Harry followed him. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Bye." Everyone else waved as they followed Danny into the RV.

"So…" Dougie said tracing circles in the dirt, suddenly feeling shy now that two older girls were around.

Lauren smiled at Riley but Riley rolled her eyes. She didn't think of Dougie that was no matter how much Lauren wanted her to.

"So Dougie, how long in those casts?" Lauren asked him. He looked up and dropped his stick.

"'Bout a month," he shrugged.

"How'd you manage to break both wrists?" she asked him.

"He sucks at skateboarding," Riley joked. She and Lauren laughed. Dougie forced a smile and a small laughed, "Yeah…guess so."

"Oh, come on, Doug it was a joke." Riley said, her smile fading a bit, "Lighten up."  
"I know." He shrugged her off, "It just wasn't very funny."

"Oooh," Lauren grinned, obviously enjoying what was soon to be another stupid fight between the two of them.

"Oh, come on, Dougie," Riley said, "Could you be any more immature?"

"What's immature?" he asked, "What am I doing that's so immature?"

She narrowed her glare at him and he stood looking innocent. Even she had to admit the look on his face was adorable. Of course, she wouldn't let him know that. "Why are you so mad at me, huh?"

"I'm not mad," he shrugged picking his stick up again.

"Dougie what did I do?" she asked, "Seriously."

"Nothing." He told her, "I'm not mad!" he began to walk into the RV and mumbled to himself, "Not mad. No babe, I'm completely heart broken."


	6. Lost

**Chapter 6**

The next morning Dougie woke up and struggled to pour himself a bowl of Lucky Charms. He knocked over a few things while trying to find the Styrofoam bowls and the little boxes of cereal, but he managed to pour his cereal without spilling. Well...without spilling very much.

He sat at the table fishing for the little marshmallows with his plastic spoon. Soon Danny got off the couch and began fixing his own breakfast in nothing but a pair of basketball shorts, "You know, sugary cereals make small children hyper."

"And being an asshole pisses most people off," Dougie shot back. Danny sat down across from his friend, the smile never leaving his face. He knew how Dougie got when he was angry and he knew that all he needed was someone to talk to. Of course, he was a jerk to everyone around for a few minutes but after that he was relatively calm. Danny just learned to deal with it. "A little hostile, there," he grinned.

"Sorry," Dougie grumbled to his cereal.

"Rough night?" Danny asked wiping the milk that was now dripping down his chin. Dougie nodded.

"We'll get out of here soon," Danny told him. "Don't worry. Where's everyone else?"  
Dougie shrugged, "Outside, I guess. Probably looking for a phone or something."

"You gonna be alright, Doug?" he asked before chugging the leftover milk still

sitting in his bowl. Dougie nodded, "Yeah...I'm fine."

"You sure?" he asked. Dougie nodded again and Danny made his way outside. Lauren and Harry were playing a game of football with the deflated football Danny brought. He leaned against the outside of the RV and watched as Lauren tackled Harry to the ground and fell on top of him, the two of them laughing.

"Get off," Harry laughed tickling Lauren.

"Stop," she said out of breath, tears coming down her cheeks from laughing so hard, "Harry Judd! Stop it!"

"Can I interrupt?" Danny asked standing above them. Lauren pushed herself off of Harry and stood up. Danny smiled, "Tom wanted me to let you know that me and him are going to go for a walk and try to find a phone."  
"What if you get lost?" Harry asked, "How are you going to find your way back?"

"Keep the fire going and we'll be able to see the smoke and follow it back here,"

Danny told him. Harry gave him a look and he smiled, "I may be thick but I'm not a complete idiot."

"Can I come?" Lauren asked like a little kid Harry rolled his eyes as Danny held out his hand, "Of course." Lauren took his hand and the two of them headed to catch up with Tom. "Of course," Harry mocked before heading inside.

"What's goin' on, Gimp?" Harry asked sitting on the couch next to Dougie. He sighed, "Nothing."

"Where's Riley?" he asked. Dougie shrugged, "Sleeping, I would assume."

Just then, Riley came out from the small 'bedroom' in a pair of shorts and a pink tank top, rubbing her eyes.

"Morning," Harry grinned. She smiled and sat at the table opposite them, "Morning. Where's the other three?"

"They went to go find a phone or anything else that could possibly get us out of here," Harry told her. The three of them sat around listening to music for a while before Riley stood up, "Alright, this is boring. We ought to make the best of our time, right? Who wants to go on a hike?"

"This early?" Dougie asked, his eyes wide. Riley laughed, "Yes, this early. Come on, guys. Please."

Harry and Dougie looked at each other, unsure. Harry finally shrugged, "Sure I'll come."

"What about you, Dougs?" Riley asked. She pleaded with her eyes and he gave in. He couldn't possibly stay angry at someone that beautiful.

They three of them found a trail just behind the RV. They figured if they followed that trail, then followed it back they wouldn't get lost. They all laughed and walked along the dirt trail until Dougie suddenly stopped.

"What?" Harry asked, turning around.

"I have to pee," he said out of nowhere.

"Why didn't you do that before you left, moron?" Riley asked laughing.

"I forgot, okay!" he smiled then headed left into some bushes, "Everyone turn around."

Riley and Harry laughed and turned around. A few seconds later Dougie came back, "I have a problem,"

"Oh God, what?" Harry asked turning around. Dougie held up his casts and wiggled the tips of his fingers that poked out of the cast, "I can't unbuckle my belt. It's stuck."

"No way," Harry held up his hands, "Sorry, pal but there's one favor I will not help you with."

"Please!" Dougie begged, "Harry, come on."

"No way," he shook head and folded his arms, "You're on your own."

"Oh for God's sake," Riley sighed, "I'll do it."

Dougie turned red and took a step back, "This is ridiculous."

"Do you want me to help you or not?" she asked him. He sighed and nodded and Riley began to unbuckle his belt. Her hands that low gave him butterflies. She let his belt dangle from his belt loops, "Happy?"

Dougie nodded and gripped the sides of his jeans to keep them from falling to his ankles. "But you're on your own from here," she laughed. Dougie laughed too then turned back into the bushes. Finally he came back out looking down, "Uhh..."

Riley sighed and rolled her eyes, then helped him buckle it again. "Thanks," he smiled.

"Where are we?" Danny asked as he rolled up the sleeves on his shirt. They had been walking for almost an hour and all they have seen so far were trees.

"I believe we are somewhere in the woods," Lauren told him.

"Ha ha. Funny," he smiled. Tom sighed and sat down on a fallen tree, "I have no idea. I think we're lost."

"No we're not." Danny told him, "We can't be."

"Well we haven't exactly found anything except three empty beer cans, a left shoe, and that snake." Tom said.

Danny grinned, "I named him Charles."

"Focus!" Tom said, "What are we going to do?"

Danny shrugged, "You got me. Maybe we should just head back to the RV. I mean, I'm sure Harry's probably wondering where we are."

"And Riley and Dougie aren't?" Lauren said.

Danny laughed, "Knowing them, Riley's still asleep and Dougie probably hasn't noticed we're gone."

"True."


	7. We're Free!

**Chapter 7**

"Where are we, Tom?" Danny complained a half an hour later. They were still wandering aimlessly through the woods.

"How am I supposed to know?" Tom asked, "I thought you knew."

"I'm following you!" Danny shouted.

"So...we're lost?" Lauren asked trailing behind them. Danny and Tom looked at each other.

"Uh...no." Tom told her, "We just...er...don't know where we are. That's all."

"That's all," Lauren mocked, "Tom we're lost."

"Way to go, Tom." Danny said shoving him. Tom glared at him, "How is this MY fault?"

"Chill out," Danny laughed, "Look. There's the smoke from our fire. We'll just follow that back."

The three of them continued their journey through the woods and tried desperately to find their way back to their broken-down vehicle. "AHH!" Lauren jumped nearly three feet in the air then ran behind Danny.

"What is it?" he asked looking down, "Oh. A snake. Hey look it's Charles!"

"That's not Charles," Tom told him, "Charles was black."

"No he wasn't he was a very dark shade of green!" Danny told him.

"Danny, he was definitely black," Tom shook his head, "I'm telling you. Besides what are the chances that is the same snake."

"Maybe he missed me," Danny shrugged, "But...Charles was green. I know for a fact."

"Danny he wasn't...Oh my God I'm going insane I am arguing about a snake."

"It's only because you care!" Danny told him, "Don't hide your feelings, you love Charles!"

"Yeah?" Tom asked bending down and picking up the snake from the end then flinging it into the woods. Danny stared at him, wide-eyed and his mouth gaping open, "Charles!!"

"It's okay," Lauren put his arm around him as he pretended to cry. Tom shook his head and kept walking. It was around noon by this time and the sun was shining bright through the tops of the trees and beating down on their backs. Danny pulled his shirt off and wiped his sweaty face with it. Lauren stopped breathing for a whole ten seconds seeing him without a shirt on, his pants falling below his waist revealing his orange boxers.

"How much farther?" Danny asked throwing his shirt over his shoulder.

"I don't know, you tell me," Tom said. Danny looked up trying to spot the trail of smoke coming from the fire. He couldn't find it. Danny shrugged, "No idea."

"I'm hot!" Dougie complained for the millionth time as the three of them were still trekking through the woods.

"We know," Harry groaned. "We are too."

"I'm tired," Dougie whined again.

"So are we!" Riley told him, "We're trying to find our way back to the RV and if you stop talking we might get there faster."

"How is me not talking going to make this go any faster?" Dougie asked her.

"It won't, but it will keep me and Harry from going insane," She smiled, "Now not another word Potty Boy."

"Speaking of which..." he smiled.

"Dougie!" Harry shouted.

He held his hands up, "Kidding. Kidding. God, I'm only trying to lighten the mood here. Does anyone actually know where we are?"

Riley and Harry shook their heads, "Not really."

"Wow," Dougie raised his eyebrows, "And you can't honestly think I do."

"Oh God no," Riley said, "We would never expect so much from you, Douglas."

"Hey, I just came along for the ride. I didn't think I'd actually have to remember where we were going."

"You wouldn't remember where we were going even if we asked you to," Riley rolled her eyes.

"Girls!" Harry shouted and Dougie scowled at him, "Come on. I think it's this way." he pointed.

The three of them kept walking and clouds started to gather above them a little while later. Harry prayed it wouldn't rain. He wasn't sure he could handle being lost in the woods while it was raining.

"I'm-" Dougie began. Harry and Riley glared at him and he stopped talking.

"Wait...shh..." Harry stopped and everyone stood still. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Dougie asked.

"People." Harry said, "There's people here! We're free!" He started running towards the voices and Dougie and Riley followed. Soon they could make out three figures who had also started running by this time. They got closer and closer until Harry stopped, Dougie and Riley running into him.

"Tom?"

"Haz?"

"What the hell dude?" Harry said walking closer, "I thought you were our ticket out of here!"

"So did we," Danny sighed.

"Please tell me you know where we are," Lauren begged. Harry and Riley shook their heads. All six of them sat down in the dirt and sighed. Not only were they stuck in the woods with no cell phone service, but now they didn't even have their car.

Great.


	8. Saved

**Chapter 8**

"No one knows where we are?" Riley asked again. Everyone shook their heads. Well, everyone except Dougie. He looked around for a minute then jumped up, "I know where we are."

"What?" Everyone looked at him.

"I know where we are." he repeated then started dancing and laughing, "Guys! I know where we are!"

"Seriously?" Tom asked standing up, "Where?"

Dougie stopped then fell back into the dirt, "Lost in the woods," he said sensibly. Everyone else groaned and shoved him.

He laughed, thinking he was pretty funny.

"And you guys said _I'm_ not funny," Danny sighed. "What time is it?"

"Almost five," Harry said looking at his watch, "I'm starving."

"So am I," Lauren complained.

"Can we keep walking?" Tom said, "Just sitting here isn't exactly going to get us anywhere."

They six of them began their way through the woods again and after a few minutes Danny felt a raindrop on his head. Soon they all did and it began raining so hard they were drenched in a matter of minutes. "Hey look," Danny pointed, "Right by that lake, aren't those the cabins we checked out last night? Our RV is right by there."

"I don't remember passing a lake," Riley said.

"I do," Lauren said and they all started running as fast as the could to the cabins and sure enough, there was their RV.

"We're saved!" Danny shouted running towards it.

"Not exactly..." Harry reminded him, "We're still stuck out here."

The boys took their shirts off and wrung them out before trying to find something dry to put on and the girls headed back to their bedroom looking for dry shirts and jeans.

"What an eventful day," Danny sighed sitting down next to the fire, "We go on a nice hike, I meet a snake named Charles, and I got so drenched that even my boxers a still wet,"

Harry gave him a weird look and Danny shrugged, "I didn't say it was a good day. I said it was eventful. I'm just trying to look at the bright side of things."

But the next day would be just as eventful. Because the next day was they day that they discovered a shower.

The next morning Riley woke up earlier than everyone else. She quietly crept out of the RV stepping over the boys that were sprawled out on the floor under blankets. She decided to go for a walk before everyone else woke up. She headed down by the lake the saw the day before when they were lost and as she was walking around the first cabin she heard footsteps. Her heart nearly skipped a beat she was so scared."Hello?"  
She quietly crept around to the other side of the cabin and finally saw the person who was back there.

"Dougie?"

Dougie was standing behind the cabin with a green beach towel around his waist and he was towel drying his hair with a different one. This time Riley's heart did skip a beat because if that towel were to have been any lower on that boy's waist she would have had a stroke. But what was he doing out by the lake this early anyway? And why was he naked? Riley figured he went skinny dipping because that just seems like something Dougie would do.

Dougie jumped hearing his name being called, "Y-yeah?" he stuttered.

"What are you doing?" He felt relieved when he saw it was just Riley, then felt his face burn as his gripped the towel to keep it from falling.

"Nothin'" he shrugged, shaking his wet, blonde hair.

"Why are you wet? Were you just swimming?" she asked him. He shook his head, "I just got out of the shower."

"Oh," Riley nodded then went to turn around. "Wait...shower?"

Dougie smiled and nodded happily.

"Dougie where did you find a shower?" she asked him.

"In that cabin," he pointed "It was open so i figured I'd use the shower."  
"And you didn't tell any of us?" she asked him. He shrugged again, "Well I came down here to go for a swim but when I saw the cabin I decided to go look around and that's when I realized I haven't taken a shower in four days."

"Dougie we've only been stuck here for two days," Riley reminded him.

"I know."

Riley glared at him then shook her head, "Whatever, I'm going back to tell everyone else."

"Okay," Dougie said as she turned around. He sighed only wishing she'd give him just one chance.

"Wait! Riley!" he called after her. She turned around, "Yeah?"

"Do...do you want to let me take you on a date tonight?" he managed to say. She turned around and walked back.

"Dougie, we're in the middle of the woods. Where exactly are you planning on taking me," she smiled.

"It's a surprise," he told her, "But I have it all planned out. Please Riley, just one chance."  
She looked at him for a minute. Even if he was just sixteen she had to admit he was one of the best looking guys she has ever seen and the fact he was standing here wrapped in just a towel managed to convince her to say yes. She nodded,

"Sure. Why not?"


	9. The Date

**Chapter 9**

"Danny I need your help!" Dougie said running up to Danny who was trying to juggle a football. He let it fall to the ground then looked back at Dougie. "What do you need?"

"I have a date tonight and I need your help!" he said out of breath.

"Alright, what do you need help with my friend? I know you haven't had your first kiss yet but I can't exactly help you out with that. I can do anything else, though" he grinned.

"Haha, you're funny." Dougie said, "Dude this is serious!

"Okay, I'm sorry." Danny said, "Wait a date? With who?"

"Riley," Dougie smiled.

Dougie was glad he had Danny around. He knew a lot about girls, and he helped out a lot since he was best friends with Riley. Danny was like the big brother Dougie always wanted.

Riley spent that whole day with butterflies in her stomach. What was she so worried about it was just a date with Dougie. And they were in the middle of the woods, what exactly was he planning anyway? Riley was sitting on her bed nervously twirling her hair waiting for Dougie to come get her and take her to whatever crazy thing he had planned.

"Riley?" Lauren knocked on the door making Riley jump. "Yeah?"

"What do you look so nice for?" she smiled. Riley was in a pair of skinny jeans and had a pink tank top on. Her hair was down falling onto her bare shoulders and she had a pink and brown beaded necklace on.

"I...er..I have a date." Riley told her.

Lauren smiled. "With who? We're in the middle of the woods."

Riley looked down not saying a word but Lauren knew exactly what her friend was thinking. "It's with Dougie isn't it?" she grinned. Riley nodded.

"I knew it! I knew you liked him!" she danced around.

"I do not." Riley sighed, "I just figured I'd give him a chance and let him take me on one date."

"Surreee," Lauren laughed stepping out of the room. Riley fell back on her bed. Maybe she was falling for him.  
A few minutes later she heard a knock on the door. "Come in."

"Hi," Dougie smiled feeling nervous. He had butterflies in his stomach and when he saw Riley he nearly collapsed. She looked beautiful.

"Hi," Riley smiled tucking a lock of hair behind her ears. Dougie looked amazing. He had on his signature three quarter length black pants, a white polo and a black tie. Dougie hoped Riley wouldn't notice he stole the shirt and tie from Tom. He held his hand out, "Ready?"

Riley took his hand and they headed outside. Dougie gave Danny a nervous look but Danny just smiled. He had given Dougie advice on what to do and say. Dougie took a deep breath and the two of them started walking.

"Wait." he said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a bandanna and tying it around Riley's eyes so she couldn't see.

"Dougie," she giggled, "What are you doing?"

"You can't see where I'm taking you," he said. He grabbed her hands and led her through the woods. Riley felt safe with her hand in Dougie's. Finally she heard a door open and heard him switch a light on. She could see the light coming through the blindfold.

"Ready?" Dougie asked, she could tell by the sound of his voice that he was smiling. She nodded, "Ready."

He untied the blindfold and stepped out of the way revealing a table in the center of the cabin with a bed sheet over it used as a tablecloth. In the center of the table were flowers shoved into a plastic cup which he used like a vase. On one side of the table was a picnic basket. Riley looked back at Dougie who was grinning from ear to ear.

"You did all this for me?" she asked. He nodded.

"Oh my God, Dougie that is so sweet," she kissed him on the cheek which made him turn bright red. They both sat down and Dougie pulled the food out of the picnic basket. They didn't have much considering they were stuck out in the woods but the fact he did all this made Riley fall even harder for him.

"Hey Riley," Dougie said when they were finished eating.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for giving me a chance. You don't have to be my girlfriend or something 'cause I totally get that you don't like me," he was staring at the ground like a small child and his voice was filled with pure innocence, "But the fact you gave me this chance means a lot to me."

Riley sat there silent. She didn't know what to say to him because the truth was in this short time she fell so hard for him.

She just smiled and nodded, "You're welcome."


	10. The Kiss

**Chapter 10**

Both Riley and Dougie were silent for a while. "We can go back if you want," Dougie said, "I'm sorry you probably had such a lousy time."

"No I didn't I swear," Riley said. And she meant it. "And I don't want to go."

"Can I ask you a question?" Dougie said looking at Riley with his big blue eyes. His blonde hair was falling in his face and his eyes were filled with innocence like those of a child's.

"Go ahead," Riley said.

"Did you just agree to this 'cause you felt bad for me?" he asked quietly, "Did you just come here because you felt like you had to?"

Riley felt terrible that he thought that. She shouldn't have said those thing she said to him the other night because the truth was with every word she said she fell even more in love with him. But she couldn't tell him that, could she? She sighed and grabbed his hand and the both walked over and sat on one of the wooden framed beds that were in the cabin, "God, no Dougie. I came here because..."

_Because truthfully I'm in love with you?_ she thought to herself, _Just say it_

"To be honest I don't know why I agreed to it at first. But now that I'm here and seeing all this you've done for me it makes me realize that just because you're a lot younger than me doesn't mean that should keep me from liking you. This was the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me." she told him. His blue eyes lit up, "Really?"

"Yeah," she nodded, "It's cute and if I had to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with anyone I'm glad it's with you."

Dougie stared into her eyes, his heart pounding out of his chest. He tried to remember everything Danny had told him but his mind went fuzzy and soon everything around seemed blurry. He leaned in and closed his eyes until his lips touched Riley's. He got butterflies in his stomach and was glad they were sitting down because if they weren't he would have fallen to the ground. Riley smiled through the kiss and the second his lips touched hers she knew she was in too deep. She knew she had fallen in love with him and there was no going back.

Dougie finally pulled away, his heart slowing down a bit. He took a deep breath and smiled, "I'm sorry. I've been waiting so long to do that."

"Don't be sorry," she smiled making him blush all over again.

* * *

"How do you think everything's going?" Lauren asked Danny as he and Tom were throwing more wood on the fire trying to make if bigger before it got too dark. Danny shrugged, "I dunno. I hope it's going alright, for Doug's sake."

"Me too," Lauren nodded, "I wish we knew what was going on."

Danny smiled at Lauren but neither of them said a word. They knew they were thinking the exact same thing and they started running.

"Where are you going?" Harry shouted after them.

"Don't worry about it!" Danny shouted back still running. Harry sighed and sat down on a small log they had made into a seat. He watched Danny and Lauren get smaller and smaller as they were running through the woods.

"Where do you think they are?" Lauren asked quietly.

"I don't know," Danny whispered and the two of them stood quietly in between both cabins until they heard laughing coming from one, "Over here," Danny motioned and the two of them stood on their tip-toes looking through the window. They could barely see anything because the blinds were shut. They heard laughter again and they looked at each other.

"What do you think is going on in there?" Danny asked. Lauren shrugged and they headed towards the door. "What are the saying?" Lauren asked. She had her face to the window trying to see what was going on while Danny had his ear pressed against the door.

"Something about having a lousy time..." Danny said quietly. He hoped he had heard wrong. He wanted so bad for Dougie to get the girl for once and if this plan didn't work he wasn't sure what else he could do.

"What?" Lauren asked.

"Shh..."

The two of them stood silently for a minute. "Now what are they saying?"

"Something about being cute..." Danny said again.

"What?"

"Shh..." They both stood quietly again until Lauren put her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming.

"What? What?" Danny asked looking through the window.

"He's gonna kiss her," Lauren said happily and soon they both had their faces pressed against the window watching their two best friends kissing. Danny smiled and gave Lauren a high five but the next thing they knew the door flew open and they both fell to the ground. Dougie and Riley looked up.

"What the hell?" Dougie asked standing up. Danny propped himself up on his elbows and smiled, "Hiya!"

"What are you doing here?" Riley asked them.

"Oh we were just..." Lauren looked at Danny desperately pleading for backup. Danny blurted out the first thing he could think of, "Coming to use the shower."

"Together..." Dougie looked at them doubtfully and Riley cracked up. "I mean, if you guys are into that kind of stuff go right ahead no one's stopping you..."

Lauren hit Danny in the back of the head. "Ow. Sorry," he shrugged.

"Well, we're going for a walk," Riley said grabbing Dougie's hand that was wrapped in the black cast, "The shower is all yours" The two of them laughed leaving Danny and Lauren speechless, still lying on the wooden floor.


	11. Sorry

**Chapter 12**

"Harry!" Danny called chasing after his friend, "Come on, mate. I'm sorry!"

Harry kept running, out of breath as Danny soon caught up behind him. Danny was always much faster than he was from all the football he played. Soon Danny was right behind Harry and tackled him into the dirt.

"What the hell?"

"Mate, can't we just talk. Please?" Danny begged catching his breath, "I'm sorry, okay?"

"Sorry? Danny, I poured my heart out to you and told you everything and this is what I get in return? I thought you were gonna help me out not snog the girl I'm trying to get!" he shouted.

"I know. I'm sorry. Harry she needed to talk to me and while we were walking there was this long silence and before I knew what was happening she had her tongue down my throat."

Harry had to smile at Danny's choice of words, but he soon turned angry again, "I trusted you."  
"And I'm sorry!" Danny said, "How many times do I have to tell you I'm sorry?"

"I'll tell you when you get there," Harry said beginning to walk away. Danny followed close behind, "Harry seriously I didn't mean it. I told you before I don't see her as anything more than a friend!"

"Not from what I saw!" Harry shouted at him walking faster. His legs were longer than Danny's so two of his steps matched one of Harry's making it harder to keep up. "I'm sorry." he repeated desperately.

Lauren crept behind the two boy's listening to their conversation. Why was Harry so upset? She felt bad for eavesdropping but it was the only way.

"Harry, come on. She's just my friend. That's it. That kiss didn't mean anything it was...I don't know it was just a sympathy kiss. I guess I just felt bad for her or something, I don't know. It didn't mean anything." she heard Danny say. She felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach. She thought he finally loved her back and it was nothing more than a sympathy kiss. She felt tears well up in her eyes. She looked through the branches in the trees and saw Harry whip around facing Danny, "Well to be completely honest it was a pretty lousy thing to do."

"I know I hurt you, man and I'm sorry." Danny said feeling ashamed.

"No, not just to me, but to her." Harry said "You led her on mate. She liked you so much and you led her on and now what? Are you just going to tell her it didn't mean anything? She's an amazing girl, Danny. You'd be lucky to get her." he turned around and mumbled to himself, "Because God knows I can't."

"Sure you could," he heard a soft voice say. He looked back and saw Lauren coming out from behind the trees. Harry shook his head, "I don't want to hear it, Lauren."

"Harry," she said grabbing his arm. Her soft hands on his arm made him turn red and he turned back around, "What?"

"I didn't know." she whispered, "And I'm sorry I hurt you. I just didn't know you liked me that way."

"Well it doesn't matter because I know I'll never be good enough," he told her, "Danny's a great guy. You guys are good for each other. I know you don't think of me the same way you think of him."

"Yeah?" she said with a small smile, then she put her hand on one side of his face and kissed him. Harry's heart nearly stopped. He had been waiting for this for a long time and finally it was happening. In the middle of the woods, too. She looked up at him, "Still think I don't feel the same way?"

"See Harry," Danny smiled, "I told you."

Now it was Lauren's turn to be angry. She turned to Danny. "I can't believe you."

"What?" he asked, his eyes filling with false innocence, "It was just a kiss, babe. And you were the one kissing me. Just remember that."

"Yeah?" she asked, "If I can clearly remember it was your tongue in my mouth."

Danny turned red as Lauren folded her arms and smirked. Harry laughed, "She's got you there, man."

Danny opened his mouth to protest but realized he had lost this one. He just rolled his eyes and turned to walk away. He was glad Harry was happy. He could deal with Lauren hating him for a while, but not Harry.

"Haz," Lauren whispered as Danny walked away, "I'm so sorry. All this time I've been trying to get Danny to notice me I didn't see what was right in front of me. And I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he said back quietly then putting his hands on her waist kissing her again.

* * *

Riley and Dougie walked along the water's edge, Dougie's casted arm around Riley's small waist. The moon was full and they could see the reflection of it on the water that was softly ripping in front of them.

"Dougie," Riley said quietly when they were getting closer to the cabin they had eaten at earlier that night.

"Mhm...?" he looked at her through the blonde hair falling in his face.

"I love you,"

Her soft voice saying those three words gave Dougie chills. "I love you too," he whispered. Riley wrapped her arms around Dougie's shoulders and kissed him. Dougie was still so nervous around her. She was older than he was and the fact that she was as beautiful as she was left him speechless. He returned the kiss and when Riley pulled away she grabbed the now loosened tie that was around his neck and smiled, leading him into the cabin and shutting the door behind her. Dougie kissed her again and as he pulled away he smiled.

"Riley I have a problem," he smiled shyly.

"Yeah?" she asked smiling back.

"I think my belt buckle is stuck again. Could you help me?"

Before he knew what was happening he was on one of the wood framed beds, his shirt off and Riley was messing with his belt. Everything went blurry again and Dougie knew he was in too deep now. He was in love.


	12. You Didn't!

**Chapter 13**

Dougie woke up the next morning smiling. He was in a bed, which meant somehow he had to be home. Right? He rubbed his eyes and looked around. He was in...a cabin? He looked next to him and saw the most beautiful girl lying asleep. His heart skipped a beat. He slowly lifted the sheets and looked down. He was naked. So he wasn't dreaming? He got up and pulled his boxers, then his jeans on before slowly nudging Riley awake, "Morning beautiful," he whispered, close to her ear. She rolled over and looked up at him tiredly, "Hey, what are we going to tell everyone else? Tom's gonna kill us." he whispered again.

Now Riley's eyes shot open and she sat up, pulling the covers up with her. "Uh...uh.." she tried thinking of every possible excuse she could, "Okay, you go back up the the RV so Tom doesn't think we got lost. I'm going to take a shower then come back up in a little bit. Maybe if we come up at separate times they won't know."

Dougie smiled and grabbed his t-shirt, "Alright, are you sure you don't want me to join you?"

"Don't push it," Riley smiled back.

"You can't blame me for trying," Dougie grinned cheekily as he walked out the door.

Dougie made his way back up the their small "campsite" although he didn't know how. His legs felt like jelly when he realized what had happened last night. He still was convinced it was a dream.

"Heyyyy here he comes!" Danny said to Tom. Tom was worrying all night, thinking Dougie and Riley had gotten lost. Danny was never too worried though. He knew they'd be back. The two of them watched as Dougie came walking back from the cabin

"Dougie where were you?" Tom asked now turning into the 'parent' again.

"Doug's got sex hair!" Danny laughed at Dougie's hair which was sticking up randomly in all directions and his shirt was thrown over his shoulder. Soon Danny's jaw dropped and he and Tom shared a look. Tom glared at him, "You didn't."

Dougie turned red and his stared at the ground, kicking the dirt, his hands shoved awkwardly into his pockets.

"He did!" Danny shouted, a massive grin spreading across his face "Nice going, mate!"

"Dougie..." Tom said again. "You didn't..."

Dougie just looked up at him through his messy blonde hair and nodded shyly, "I did."

"He did!" Danny repeated tackling his friend to the ground. Dougie laughed, "Ow. Careful, dude I still got a month left in these things you know."

"Sorry, sorry," Danny said helping Dougie up, that goofy smile still plastered to his face.

"So it's true," Tom said. He was smiling too now, his one dimple fully visible, "Dougie is no longer the only one here who is a virgin."

"Shut up," Dougie smiled whacking Tom in the arm. Tom rubbed the spot where Dougie hit him, "Ouch. That thing's hard dude, don't hit me with that." he pointed to Dougie's cast.

"That's what she said," Danny said quietly, smiling to himself.

"Dude!" Dougie said, not being able to hold his laughter in any longer.

"Who said what?" Lauren asked coming out from the RV making Danny and Dougie laugh even harder than they initially were.

"Nothing," Tom shook his head, laughing too.

"Oh no, Tom." Danny said through his laughter, "Tell her,"

Tom just shook his head watching Dougie and Danny lying on the ground, faces red, crying from laughter.

"Where's Riley?" Lauren asked disregarding the two boys' laughter.

Danny and Dougie stopped laughing and Tom looked at Danny who in turn looked at Dougie.

"She's...er...she's in the shower," Dougie told her, "Down at that cabin," he pointed.

"She's in she shower and you didn't join?" Danny asked grinning, "Dougie I'm shocked"

"Please," Lauren sighed rolling her eyes, "Is that all guys think about is sex?"

"Apparently that's all Dougie was thinking about," Danny said quietly. Dougie hit him, "Ow!"

"Whatever," Lauren rolled her eyes again making her way down to the cabin.

"You didn't!" Lauren grinned as Riley towel dried her hair.

"I did," Riley groaned.

"Oh my God, no you didn't!" she squealed, "You're lying!"

"I'm not," Riley said again.

"I thought you didn't like him. So you just do it with guys you hate, is that it?" Lauren laughed.

"No," Riley sighed, "I don't like him. Well I thought I didn't. But Lauren, you should have seen everything he did for me and he said the sweetest things and...I don't know I just fell for him and I didn't know how to thank him"

"So this is how you thank someone?" Lauren laughed. Riley smiled too, "You know what I mean." she giggled.

"So you really did?" Lauren asked again, still not believing her friend.

"Yes," Riley said turning red and rubbing her hands over her face, "Oh my God what have I done? This wasn't supposed to happen!"

The two of them heard a knock on the door before a voice that said, "Everyone dressed in here?"

"Yes, Danny, Come on in." Riley smiled.

"Soooo," Danny grinned like a little kid then punching Riley softly in the shoulder, "How was it?"

"He told you?" Riley asked. Danny nodded, "Yep. Oh yeah, Lauren, your man wants you," he giggled.

"Oh, alright," Lauren said receiving a look from Riley. "Your man?" she mouthed to her friend.  
"I'll tell you later," Lauren mouthed back before turning away. Riley leaned against the sink and sighed, "Danny, this wasn't supposed to happen."

"Yeah, well I'll tell you one thing you made Dougie really happy," Danny said smiling.

"I know," Riley sighed.

"So..." Danny said looking into Riley's eyes, "What exactly are you going to tell your boyfriend?"

Riley fell into his arms, closed her eyes and whispered, "I don't know."


	13. Feel Like Screaming

**Okay so I screwed up the numbering for the chapters. This is actually Ch 13. The last 1 was 12, one before tht was 11. You get it. Anyways.**

(the real) **Chapter 13**

"So, young Douglas," Tom started once the two of them were alone. Dougie looked up sheepishly. Facing Tom about this stuff was almost as bad as facing his own father. Well, ever since he moved in with Tom after his parents' divorce Tom kind of became like a Father to him.

"You and Riley..." he smiled.

"Wow, Tom. You aren't mad? I was expecting you to say something more along the lines of," Dougie made his voice deep and scrunched his face up, trying to imitate Tom when Tom yelled, "'Young Douglas I cannot believe you slept with her while under my supervision! Go to your room until I can think of a better punishment'"

Tom laughed, "Nah, mate I'm happy for you. I know how much you liked her."

"Thanks, mate." Dougie smiled as he saw Riley and Danny heading towards them. Riley's eyes were puffy and red. She looked like she'd been crying. Dougie got up and Danny let go of Riley's hand as Dougie walked over to her. Dougie knew the whole holding hands thing was just as friends so he wasn't mad.

"Riley, what's wrong?" Dougie asked her. She fell into Dougie's arms and Dougie wrapped his arms around her looking up at Danny, confused. Danny just looked at the ground, a very serious look in his eyes, which rarely happened. Riley cried into Dougie chest before looking up and whispering, "We need to talk."

Riley took Dougie's black casted hand in hers and they walked to the lake, neither of them saying a word. Dougie figured she didn't want to talk until they got to the lake. Riley sat down along the water's edge and Dougie sat closely next to her. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Is everything alright?" Dougie asked. Riley looked him in the eyes, "No."

"Oh God..." Dougie groaned, "You aren't like...like pregnant are you?"

Riley giggled at Dougie's comment, "No, Dougs, I'm not pregnant. Even if I was, how would I know. I mean it was just last night that we..."

"Yeah..." Dougie finished awkwardly. Neither of them had really said anything about what happened the night before. Dougie felt his face burn at the thought.

"So what is it?" he asked her.

"I..." Riley began, feeling the tears well up in her eyes again. She stood up and kept walking. Dougie got up and followed her, "Riley! Please," she turned around wiping the tears from her eyes. Dougie grabbed her hands and looked her straight in the eyes. His blue eyes were filled with concern and understanding, "Riley, whatever it is, it can't be that bad. Nothing you could do could stop me from loving you as much as I do."

"I doubt you'll feel the same way once I tell you," Riley muttered to herself.

"Try me," Dougie said.

"Dougie...I..." she started crying all over again and her breath came fast. Dougie hugged her, "Shh, shh, calm down," he whispered.

She pulled away and grabbed both his hands, "Dougie, last night was a mistake," she said, her voice strangely higher than usual from holding back tears. Dougie's eyes looked from her eyes, then down the the ground. He swallowed hard, "Oh"  
"I'm sorry," she said tears falling down her face at this point, "It's just...I...I kind of have a...a boyfriend,"  
Dougie looked up, letting go of her small hands, "You what?"

"Dougs, I'm sorry." she said quietly. He looked back into her eyes, his bright eyes fading to an ice blue. His expression hardened, "No. You're not. Riley, how could you do this to me? You knew how much I loved you. You knew how much last night meant to me. How could you let it have gone that far when you were in a relationship with somebody else?"

"No! I truly am sorry. Just listen to me Dougs-"

"And quit calling me that!" he shouted at her then he buried his head in his hands, "I'm such a dumbass!"

"Dougie...you're not." Riley said trying to be sympathetic.

"Yeah I am!" he said moving his hands away from his face. His eyes had tears in them and he fought as hard he could not to let them fall, "I was so vulnerable," he mumbled to himself, "So Goddamn vulnerable! And you had enough of me to break me and you know what, babe? You completely destroyed me."

And with that he turned and ran up the beach. "Dougie!" Riley called after him but all he did was turn around, give her the finger, and kept running.

Riley sat down on the beach, buried her head in her hands and started crying, "I'm sorry."

* * *

Danny watched as Dougie flew into the RV. He ran through the narrow hallway, wiping his eyes, and opened the door to the small bedroom in the back. When he got there he saw a shirtless Harry against the wall with his mouth pressed into Lauren's. He wasn't exactly sure when this change of events occurred because last time he checked Lauren liked Danny, but he was too upset to care. Harry pulled away and looked up at Dougie. His face instantly reddened.

"S-s-sorry," Dougie stuttered, blindly turning around and running the opposite way into the woods. Danny got up and chased him. Dougie knew Danny was following him but he didn't care. He kept running and running until he ran out of breath. Then when he felt like his chest was going to explode he sat down on a fallen tree and buried his face in his hands. Danny stood to the side awkwardly, he never knew exactly what to say when someone was this upset. He knew how upset Dougie was because he was crying and every guy knows that a guy doesn't cry unless a.) someone died b.) their heart was broken or c.) they've been kicked in the balls. Danny assumed it was the second one and he sat down next to his friend.

"I'm sorry, Dougie." he said, "I wish it didn't have to be like this. I wish she didn't have to end it like that."

"You knew?" Dougie asked looking up at his friend. Danny nodded, "Yeah. Sorry, bro."

"You knew and you didn't tell me?" Dougie asked getting angry. Danny knew this was coming. When he was upset he took his anger out on the first person he could think of. In this case it was Danny. Dougie got up and started pacing, "You knew this whole fucking time and you let me get led on and have my heart broken?"

"Doug, I didn't want to, okay?" Danny said, "I wanted to tell you but I didn't want to disappoint you and I didn't think she'd ever take it that far."

"Well she did!" Dougie shouted, "And now look at me. God, I never cry," he wiped his bloodshot eyes and sat down again. Danny did too.

"I'm sorry," Dougie said hanging his head, "I'm not mad at you. Really, I'm not."

"I know," Danny said putting his arm around his friend, "It's cool."

"I just feel like screaming as loud as I can," Dougie said. Danny smiled sympathetically, "What'll that solve?"

"Probably nothing but it'll make me feel a whole hell of a lot better," he shrugged smiling.

"So who's stopping you?" Danny smiled.

"You're right," Dougie laughed before standing shouting fuck at the top of his lungs. He held his arms out, closed his eyes and shouted as loud as he could. He screamed until his face turned bright red and he had no breath left.When he was finished he looked back at Danny and they both laughed. Danny put his arm around his Dougie, "Better?"  
Dougie smiled and nodded, "A little."


	14. Actions Speak Louder Than Words

**Chapter 14**

"Wonder what's wrong," Harry said, more to himself than to Lauren. He was still up against the wall and Lauren was practically on top of him.

"I don't know," she mumbled running her hand down Harry's bare chest and kissing him again. Harry pulled away and ran his hands through his messy brown hair, "Listen, I have to go make sure he's okay. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Lauren watched as Harry ran out of the RV to find Dougie. She followed him

"What happened?" Harry asked Tom. Tom shrugged, "I dunno. Danny just went after him. He didn't say anything to either of us but he looked pretty upset. I can only imagine it's not good. I never see Dougie like that."

"Gee, I hope he's alright." Harry sighed. Right after that they heard someone shouting from in the woods. Harry laughed, "Yeah, that's probably Doug."

"Where's Riley?" Lauren asked. Tom shrugged, "She never came back with Dougie but last I checked the two of them were down by the lake." Lauren took off to find her friend while Tom and Harry waited for their other band mates to come back.

"Riley!" Lauren shouted when she spotted her sitting against the water's edge. She sat down and put her arm around Riley,

"Hey, what happened?"

"He hates me," Riley cried, "Absolutely hates me."

"He doesn't hate you," Lauren reassured her.

"You should have seen him." Riley said looking up, "You should have seen that look in his eyes. He's so mad at me. He'll never talk to me again."

"You don't know that," Lauren told Riley, "Sure, he's probably mad. But he'll get over it. You know Dougie, nothing's ever a big deal to him. He'll be mad for a few days and then get over it."

"I doubt it," Riley said, "I hurt him so bad." She buried her head in her hands and cried again. Lauren hugged her, "Calm down, you're going to be okay. You have to set things straight with Dougie."

"How?" Riley asked, "He won't talk to me. I know it."

"If you really want to make things right, you have to try." Lauren said, "And I'll be right here if you need me."

They stood up and Riley hugged Lauren one last time, "Thank you so much."

Lauren wiped her friend's tears and the two of them made their way back to the RV.

"Where's Dougie?" Riley asked the three boys who were sitting outside. They all looked at each other. They knew Dougie was inside taking a nap but he told them not to tell Riley where he was.

"Dougie who?" Danny asked grinning. Harry and Tom stifled a laugh.

"You know damn well Dougie who," Riley shouted, "Now tell me where he is!"

"Oooh, I can see it's someone's time of the month," Danny muttered to himself with a small grin. That earned him a kick below the belt. He fell to the dirt below him with his hands between his legs and Harry and Tom started laughing. "Still not gonna tell me where he is?"

"Inside," Danny managed to say, his voice higher than normal.  
Riley smiled sweetly, "Thank you,"

Riley opened the door to the RV and walked back to the small bedroom to see Dougie lying asleep. He had tears running down his cheeks and his hair was messy. Riley swallowed hard and nudged him, "Dougie."

He rolled over to face the wall and pulled the covers above his head, "Leave me alone," he mumbled tiredly, "I'm sleeping."  
"Dougie we need to talk," Riley said quietly.

"I don't wanna talk to you," he mumbled again. He was facing the wall and he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Riley sat down at the edge of the bed, "Okay fine. If you don't want to talk then at least listen to what I had to say."

Dougie was silent so Riley began talking, "Listen, Dougie. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I took things that far when I already had a boyfriend. I'm sorry for leading you on. But hear me out-"

Dougie pulled the pillow over his head to block out everything she was saying. Her eyes filled with tears and she hit him, "Dougie! Could you stop acting like a seven year old for at least three minutes and let me talk to you?"

He still didn't say anything. She hit him again and under the covers she could see his small body shaking. Riley thought he was crying so she covered her mouth with her hands, "Oh my gosh I'm so sorry did I hurt you?"

Dougie rolled over so she could see him. His eyes were filled with tears but not because he was crying. "God, you hit like a girl." he said through his laughter.

She laughed too, "I am a girl."

Dougie started laughing harder, "And to answer your question, no, you didn't hurt me. So don't worry. Well, your punch didn't hurt me anyway," he stopped laughing. Riley did too.

"Dougie I really am sorry," she said, getting serious now.

"I know," he nodded.

"And I understand if you hate me," she said quietly and she turned away.

"Hey," Dougie sat up, "Didn't I say that nothing you do could stop me from loving you?"

"Yeah but..."

"But nothing," Dougie said, "A promise is a promise. I don't hate you."

"But you were so mad," Riley said wiping the tears from her eyes. Dougie shrugged, "Well sure I was mad. But I'll get over it. I'll have to accept the fact you have a boyfriend. And that alone will always hurt, but I can wait. And if you ever decide you love me back, I'll always be here."

Riley fell into his arms and hugged him. She didn't know what to say to that. Just a few minutes ago she was yelling at him for being immature but that was possibly the nicest thing anyone had ever said to her. She was still silent. Someone once told her that actions speak louder than words so she kissed him softly on the lips and whispered, "Thank you."


	15. Born to Run

**Chapter 16**

"I'm gonna go back outside," Riley told Dougie, "Do you want to come?"

He pushed the covers off him and got up, "Yeah, I'll come." He looked down and laughed. He had been sleeping in only his boxers. He turned red and pulled his jeans on then turn back to Riley and laughed. "Okay. Now I'm ready." The two of them walked outside, Dougie's arm around Riley's shoulder. He was grinning from ear to ear when they both walked outside because as long as they were still friends he knew he would be okay.

"Awwwww," everyone smiled in unison as the two of them walked outside smiling. Well, everyone except Danny. He was still lying on the ground.

"What happened to him?" Dougie asked laughing.

"Let's just say I know how to get what I want," Riley smiled.

"Oh," Dougie nodded, "OH. Ouch...Sorry dude."

"Yeah, yeah," Danny said getting up and stumbling over to a log they used as a makeshift chair. "You just watch out," he pointed to Riley, "I'm gonna get you when you least expect it."

"I'm so scared," Riley said sarcastically.

"So what's the deal with you two?" Dougie asked suddenly turning the attention toward Harry and Lauren. Both of them turned red and smiled.

"What do you mean?" Riley asked.

"I mean, I walk into the bed room to see Harry half naked with Lauren practically on top of him, the two of them playing tonsil hockey. The whole thing was very inappropriate if you ask me." Dougie laughed.

"Look who's talking!" Harry laughed, "And come on. It wasn't THAT bad. You make it sound like we're a bunch of porn stars."

"Oh no," Tom said joining the argument, "You aren't NEARLY sexy enough to be in a porno, Haz."

"Cheers mate."

They all sat down around the fire and as soon as Danny recovered, he and Tom got out their guitars and started playing.

"In the day we sweat it out in the streets of a runaway American dream," Danny began singing loud and off key, "At night we ride through mansions of glory in SUICIDE MACHINES!!"

"Come on, Danny." Riley groaned, "No Springsteen,"

"What's wrong with Born to Run?" he asked, looking offended at her comment.

"Nothing , if Bruce Springsteen is singing it." she shrugged, "You on the other hand..."

"That really hurts," Danny said his blue eyes filling with sadness, "I thought you loved my singing."

Riley rolled her eyes and laughed, "Pick something else!"

"Okay, okay," Danny said and began strumming his guitar again and smiling. Tom started playing as well, trying not to laugh because he knew what was coming. Danny grinned and started singing off key again.

"Are you sure that you're mine Aren't you dating other guys? But you're so cheap and I'm not blind. You're not worthy of my time," they both sang as loud as they could, soon everyone else joined in. "Somebody saw, you sleep around the town And I've got proof because the word's going around" Danny laughed and shouted, "DON'T KNOW YOU!!"

Everyone laughed as Tom and Danny began headbanging and strumming their guitars as hard as they possibly could.

"You know you just murdered our song," they heard a voice say. Everyone was silent as they turned around to see who was talking.


	16. Important Phone Call

**Chapter 16**

"Mate what are you doing here?" Tom stood up.

"James!" Danny got up tackling his friend. James laughed, "You're crushing my ribcage mate. Get off."

Danny pushed himself off James and helped him to his feet. Soon they were joined by Matt and Charlie.

"What are you doing here?" Tom repeated. James smiled, "The question is, what are you guys doing here? People are looking for you, you know."

"We were on our way to Alton Towers and SOMEONE thought it would be a good idea to take a shortcut through here," Danny said, staring accusingly at Lauren. She stuck her tongue out at him, "Well Harry's the one who drove us into the woods."

"Yeah, well-" Harry began. Charlie laughed, "Okay, okay. We get it."

"So why are you here?" Dougie asked them.

"We could hear Danny's singing miles away and we thought someone was dying," Matt joked putting Danny in a headlock. Danny punched him in the arm, "Funny." Danny said trying to pry Matt's arm off of him, "But seriously, what are you doing here?"

"We're here by accident," Charlie shrugged, "We took a wrong turn and we came to ask for directions from the people who were in this RV. Of course you guys probably won't be much help will you?"

"Probably not," Harry told him. "You think you can fix our car?"

Charlie shrugged, "Probably not. I'm no good with cars. We can drive you to a gas station though."

"Thank you so much." Riley smiled.

"Freedom!" Dougie shouted tackling Charlie. "We have been out here for days! We haven't eaten!"

"Shut up you drama queen," Tom laughed, prying him away from Charlie, "We've had plenty to eat."

The nine of them made their way to Charlie's car. They had been driving a blue pick-up truck so the three Busted boys sat inside the truck while the other six piled into the back.

"Why'd you drive this piece of trash?" Danny asked James as he was climbing into the back of the truck.

"Because," James said smiling, "We won't get stalkers." Danny gave him a funny look so he continued, "Think about it. No one would expect Busted to drive a car like this. We just look like regular people. We have tinted windows so no one can see inside. No one will follow us."

Danny smiled and held out his fist for James to hit, "I like the way you think."

"You okay?" Dougie asked Riley after they had started driving. The sun was beginning to set and there was a cool breeze.

"Yeah," she said quietly staring absentmindedly at the trees that were passing by. Dougie sat quietly next to her the whole ride to the gas station.

When they got there, the nine of them hopped out of the truck and headed inside to get something to eat and use the restrooms. Tom and Harry headed to the pay phone to call a tow truck.

"Charlie," Riley said tapping the boy on the shoulder. He turned around, "Yeah?"

"Can I borrow your cell phone real quick?" she asked. He nodded and handed her the black phone. She thanked him and walked to the other side of the building and sat down. She punched in the numbers and listened to the ringing coming from the other end.

"Hello?" a tired voice asked.

"Cole?"

"Riley!" he smiled through the phone, "Hi, love. How are you doing?"

"Good," she said smiling.

"How's the band?" he asked her cheerfully. He was never jealous that she was good friends with them. Cole had talked to them a few times and he like them. He was never once jealous that his girlfriend hung out with them.

"They're good." she told him swallowing hard.

"How's the vacation going?" he asked.

"Good." she told him.

"Is that all you can say?" Cole laughed. She giggled too, "No."

"What's wrong?" he asked sensing the sadness in her voice. "Nothing, nothing. I just-"

She was cut off by footsteps. She saw a head of blonde hair and two big blue eyes peek around the corner of the building.

She smiled as he stepped closer, "What are you doing back here?"

"I'm on a phone call," she said pointing to the cell phone.

"Ohhh," he nodded, "Sorry. Who is it?" he asked again. She shook her head silently telling him to go away. He hung his head a shuffled his feet to go find the others.

"Who was that?" Cole asked.

"No one," Riley sighed, "Listen you and I have to talk."

"What about?" he asked, suddenly sounding a lot less happy than he previously was.

"It probably won't go over well on the phone," she sighed.

"Anything you want to tell me, you can tell me right now." he told her. She sighed feeling tears well up in her eyes, "I think...I think maybe it's best...if we see other people."

"Oh," was all she heard before nearly two minutes of silence. Cole could hear her muffled crying. "Why all of the sudden did you decide this?" he asked breaking the silence.

"I just...I don't know." she sighed, "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah." he sighed, "Me too."

"Cole!" she shouted into the phone but all she got back in response was the dial tone. She slammed the phone shut. She would have thrown it, but then she remembered it was Charlie's so she didn't. She hugged her knees close to her chest and took a deep breath.

"Where's Riley?" Danny asked as everyone was getting ready to leave.

"I'll go get her," Dougie said before running off to the far side of the building.

"Riley! I know you're on a very important phone call, but we're leaving and if you don't hurry up we're leaving you here!" he called. "Riley?"

He ran over and sat beside her when he noticed she was crying, "Hey, what's wrong? What happened?"

Riley leaned her head on Dougie's shoulder and Dougie wiped the tears off her face but she kept crying, "Shh," he told her,

"Everything's going to be alright." His voice was soft and caring.

"Dougie?" she asked lifting her head, "Why are you still being so nice to me after all that happened?"

"Because," he shrugged, "You're my friend and I know you'd do the same for me. Well, I hope you would anyway. And...because I love you."


	17. Oh no

**Chapter 17**

Dougie stood up and held his hand out. Riley looked up at him and grabbed it and he helped her to her feet. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. "Are you gonna be okay?" Dougie asked. She nodded and started to turn away. Dougie grabbed her arm, "Hey. If you ever want anyone to talk to, you know where to find me."

She smiled and nodded, "Thanks Dougie."  
Dougie grabbed her hand and the two of them headed back to the truck. "Ready?" Danny asked. The two of them nodded.

"Wait..." Harry stopped and mentally counted heads, "Okay, now where'd Tom go?"

"I'm here!" Tom said with his mouthful, running back to them with a box of cheese twists in his hand.

Danny rolled his eyes, "For the love of God, Tom. Do you ever stop eating?"

"Yes," he said shoving another handful of food in his mouth. As they were all piling into the back of the truck Danny heard a loud low pitched growl. He laughed, "Doug! Was that your stomach?"

Dougie giggled and pulled up his t-shirt rubbing his stomach. "Yes. My tummy is hungry."

"How are you hungry? Didn't you buy a bag of chips inside?" James asked.

"Yes." Dougie told him, "But I told you, we haven't eaten in days. We've been stranded."

"Please..." James rolled his eyes.

"Fine! Let's see you be stranded for four days with no food and see how you like it!" Dougie shouted back. Dougie andJames had an...interesting relationship. We'll leave it at that. They were always either in an argument or pretending to be in one. Dougie never liked James much from the start. Danny laughed to himself remembering the first time they met. They were walking back from James' house and immediately after they stepped out of the door Dougie turned to Danny and said, "I don't like him much."

"Why?" Danny asked laughing.

"He's cocky!" Dougie said. Danny laughed even harder, "Mate, he's anything but cocky."

"He is too!" Dougie argued back, being only 15 at the time. "He thinks he's better than me!"

"He probably is," Danny joked. Dougie sulked the rest of the way home. Things didn't get much better when they started writing together, because on the way back from James' house the next day, Dougie was at it again.

"Okay, seriously this kid is weird." he complained.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Danny asked him.

"Danny did you see the stuff he writes? He thinks in the future we're going to live under water. Under water, Danny! I'm pretty sure we'll still be living in houses. Or spaceships or something like that. But something tells me we won't just grow some gills and live beneath the sea in oversize pineapples with Spongebob Squarepants!" he shouted. Danny just shook his head and learned to live with his friends' constant arguing.

"Then we're going out to eat!" Charlie announced hopping in the drivers' seat.

"Hey," Danny whispered to Dougie, "What's wrong?" he pointed to Riley.

Dougie just shrugged, "She wouldn't say. All I know is that she was on the phone with someone."

Cole. Danny thought to himself, She didn't. Did she?

They arrived at the restaurant and piled inside. They were seated at one of the only tables that could fit all of them and they began talking. The whole time Riley stayed silent. "You okay?" Dougie nudged her with his elbow. She looked at him and faked a smiled, "I'm fine," she nodded, "Thanks."

When they all got their food Dougie smiled and nearly inhaled his entire plate of ribs. Danny laughed, "Easy there, Killer."

"I'm hungry!" he said with his mouthful, his entire face smudged with sauce. Even James couldn't hold in his laughter at Dougie.

"Are you gonna eat that?" Dougie asked pointing to the fries leftover on James' plate when most of them were finished eating.

"Yes." he nodded, "I am."

"Could you share?" Dougie asked with hopeful eyes.

"I don't want to share," James joked with him.

"Oh, come on." Dougie pleaded, "Sharing is caring and it can be fun!"

James stared at him with a look like what-the-hell-did-you-just-say? plastered to his face. Soon he was smiling and before he knew it he was cracking up, "What?"

"I don't know?" Dougie said beginning to laugh as well, "I just said it."

The rest of the boys stared at each other exchanging looks. Could this really be happening? For once, James and Dougie were getting along.

"Okay," James said taking a breath, "Just for that I suppose I can let you have some fries."

"Thank you," Dougie smiled.

They all heard a phone ringing and Charlie reached into his pocket, "Sorry." he said flipping his phone open, "Hello? Uh...yeah hold on. Riley it's for you," he said with a confused look.

Riley took the phone. "Hello?" she said quietly. Everyone carried on their normal conversations while Riley sat there listening. Everyone soon looked up when she stood up and ran to the bathroom.

"Oh no..."Danny sighed.


	18. Everything's Fine

**Chapter 18**

Everyone sat silently looking at each other. Dougie started to push his chair back, but before he could even stand up James chased after her. Dougie could have hit him. What gave him the right to go after Riley to see what was wrong? They barely knew each other. Dougie somehow managed to stay quiet and resist the urge to chase James down and beat the living crap out of him.

"Riley?" she heard a voice say through the door of the small bathroom.

"I don't want to talk about it." she said, assuming it was either Danny or Dougie.

"Riley, it's James. Please come talk to me." he said, his voice quiet and compassionate. The door opened slightly and Riley looked at him. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were wet. James grabbed her hand and led her outside.

"What happened?" he asked her. She shook her head, "Nothing."

"Didn't seem like nothing," he said staring into her eyes. The tone of his voice made Riley feel like she could trust him, even if they'd only known each other for a short time.

"I dumped my boyfriend." she said quickly, her eyes stinging with tears, "Only I didn't exactly tell him why and now he's mad at me and he won't stop yelling. He thinks I cheated on him,"

"Well did you?" James asked.

Riley nodded and started crying again, "Yes." She fell into his arms and started crying, "I'm such a bad person."

"No you're not," he whispered, "Shh. Don't cry."

"Yeah I am," she cried, "And the worst part is, I hurt both him and Dougie."

"Wait..." James stopped, "If you don't mind my asking...what does Dougie have to do with this?"

Riley sat down against the building, James sitting next to her, and she told him the whole story. She told him how she started to fall for Dougie and how she had to end things with Cole because of it but it was too late because things had already gone too far. When she was done, James was silent and she stood up and started pacing. James got up and stopped her. He wiped the tears from her eyes, "Everything's going to be okay. Soon, things will just fall into place. Everything might seem a little messed up right now, but things sometimes get worse before they can get better."  
Riley smiled and wiped her eyes the wrapped her arms around James. "Thanks. I needed to hear that."

The other seven came outside after that to make sure Riley was okay. When Dougie saw Riley in James' arms he nearly lost it. Danny grabbed his arm, knowing exactly how Dougie felt. He knew Dougie would have started a fight with James if he wasn't there to stop it.

"Is...everything okay?" Harry asked. Riley looked up and broke away from James, "Yeah." she smiled, "Everything's fine."


	19. USA!

**Chapter 19**

The nine of them headed back to Charlie's truck and climbed into the back. It was dark by this time, a million stars sprinkled across the sky. "Where should I take you guys?" Charlie asked. They all looked at each other. It was clear their road trip was over. They didn't have a car. Tom took a breath to speak but Riley beat him to it. "Can you just take us home?"  
"Yep," Charlie smiled before getting into the driver's seat and closing the door. Riley crossed her arms and stared up at the star-filled sky.

_"Look a shooting star!" she pointed, "Make a wish!"  
_

_The two of them made a wish before Riley took off running. Dougie ran after her and they both laid in the grass staring up at the stars.  
_

_"So what'd you wish for?" Riley asked. Dougie smiled, his blue eyes staring into hers, "You."_

Riley held back tears remembering how sweet Dougie had been. She smiled to herself because he was such a great friend to her. He helped her through everything. Dougie was next to her and she looked up at him. He smiled at her and she lie her head down on his lap, closed her eyes and fell asleep.

The ride home was long. Riley had fallen asleep, her head on Dougie's lap. Dougie pulled his sweatshirt off and laid it over Riley. He thought she looked cold. Soon Charlie pulled the car to a stop in front of Riley and Lauren's house. Dougie looked down at Riley who was fast asleep. He didn't want to wake her so he gently picked her up in his arms and carried her inside. Lauren giggled and whispered to him, "You treat her like she's five. Wake her up and make her walk. You don't have to carry her."

"I don't want to wake her up," Dougie said, "She had a rough day, and besides she looks so beautiful when she's asleep."  
Lauren couldn't contain herself. Dougie was too cute for his own good. She covered her mouth and her eyes widened, "Awww. Dougie you are so cute."

Dougie's cheeks turned red and he laid Riley down her bed and pulled the covers over her. He kissed her on the forehead and whispered in her ear, "Goodnight."

Dougie got back into the truck and Charlie drove the four boys back to the McFLY house. "Hey, thanks guys," Tom leaned against the door and stuck his head through the open window, "We'd still be lost if it weren't for you guys."

"No problem," Matt smiled, "But don't thank me, thank Danny. If it weren't for his singing we'd have never found you."

"Haha," Danny faked a smile, "Give it up, man. It's not funny anymore."

James and Charlie were laughing and Matt smiled, "Apparently it is."

Danny smiled and flicked him off before heading inside. Dougie went straight to his room. A few minutes after he crashed on his bed, he heard a knock on the door. "What?" he asked with his face smashed into his pillow.

"Hey, are you gonna be okay? You seemed a little pissed off at James." Dougie sat up. Danny was standing at his door.

"Well I was pissed off," Dougie said, "Dude, what did he think he was doing going after her like that?"

Danny smiled, "Someone's jealous."

Dougie turned red, "Shut up."

"Well, I hate to break it to you," Danny said sitting down, "But Riley's single. And it's not like the two of you were even really dating to begin with. She can do whatever she wants and if she likes James then you can't stop her."  
Dougie crossed his arms like a little kid, "I hate that guy."

Dany just shook his head and laughed, "But if you want the truth," he continued, "Riley would be stupid to choose James over you. Just give her time. She's confused right now."

"Thanks, Danny." Dougie smiled. Danny shut the door on his way out and Dougie fell asleep.

The next morning Danny woke up to the sounds of screaming from the living room. He wondered if someone was dying. It sounded like Tom, so he wasn't too worried. He pulled the pillow over his head and tried to fall back asleep but it was no use. More shouting. Finally his door flew open and someone jumped on top of him.

"Not now, Tom." Danny mumbled into his pillow, "I'm sleeping."

"Wake up!" Tom shouted, jumping on Danny's bed, "Get up. get up, get up! Important news!"

"You're pregnant?" Danny guessed, "Well listen, whatever you say I'm sure it's not mine so I'm taking no responsibilities for this baby!"

"Funny," Tom said, forgetting his excitement momentarily. "No this is more exciting!"

"More exciting than you being pregnant? Gee I can hardly wait," Danny said dragging himself out of bed. He walked to the living room where Harry and Dougie were sitting on the couch looking he exact same as Danny: half dressed and half asleep.

"What is it Tom?" Harry asked.

"Guess what!?" Tom shouted, grinning from ear to ear, his one dimple showing.

"I don't know." Harry shrugged, "Thus why I asked 'what is it Tom?'"

Tom glared at him for a moment before smiling again, "We're going to America!!"

"What?" Everyone was wide awake now.

"Dude, what are you talking about?" Harry asked.

"I just got a call from Fletch and we are spending the year in America!" Tom said. Everyone started cheering, jumping up and down and screaming, just as Tom was minutes before. But soon, a thought crossed Dougie's mind. That was an entire year away from Riley.

* * *

Lauren woke up the next morning and wandered into the kitchen. She poured a bowl of cereal, she hadn't had a big bowl of cereal in nearly a week. She headed into the living room and sat on the couch, turning on the TV. She assumed Riley was still asleep so she didn't bother looking. When Lauren was done eating, she put her bowl in the sink then headed back up to her bedroom to take a shower and get dressed before waking Riley up. The two of them were planning on going to the mall that day. On the way to her room, Lauren ran into Riley who was just coming out of the bathroom.

"Oh, hey I didn't know you were awake," she smiled, "Are we skill going to the mall today?"

Riley didn't answer. Instead she glared at Lauren, a look of sheer horror on her face. Lauren's eyes widened.  
"What's wrong?"

Riley looked around and fought back tears. She swallowed hard and then finally just said it.

"I'm pregnant."


	20. I Love You

**Oh yeah, about my updating frenzy, i'm up to like...ch. 24. so yeah, im just gonna catch myself up so I'm not at two different parts of the story on 2 different websites.**

**Chapter 19**

The four boys began packing their things. Fletch said they would be leaving immediately for America. That gave then about four days to get ready. The day before they were to leave, Lauren and Riley decided to hold a small going away party for them. The two of them were setting up a few hours before the McFLY boys came over.

"So are you gonna tell him?" Lauren asked.

Riley shook her head, "I can't. It will make him feel like he should stay and I couldn't make him."

"He's gotta find out sometime," Lauren said.

Riley shrugged, "So I'll tell him when they get back."

"Riley, that baby will be nearly a year old by that time," Lauren reminded her, "Are you really going to make him wait."

She nodded, "It's for his own good. I feel bad keeping it from him but I'd feel even worse if he had to stay here,"

Around six Danny, Dougie, Tom and Harry arrived at Riley and Lauren's house. "Hi guys!" Lauren smiled.

"Hey," Harry said giving her a hug and kissing her on the cheek. "How've you been?"

"Good," she said. Harry looked at Riley and she forced a smile, "Hi guys,"

"Hi," They all waved.

"So is there going to be food?" Dougie asked. Lauren laughed, "Yes, Dougie there will be food. How can a kid as small as you eat so much?"

"Small guys can do big things," Dougie said grinning cheekily and raising his eyebrows.

"And Riley knows aaaaall about that!" Danny smiled putting his arm around his friend. She rolled her eyes and shrugged him off, obviously sensitive to his comment. Everyone else laughed and Dougie turned red, "Yeah yeah."

"So how long are you going to be gone?" Lauren asked. They were all sitting outside on the back deck having hot dogs.

"A little over a year," Tom told them.

"We're going to miss you. Don't leave us," Lauren pouted.

"Come on, a year isn't THAT long," Danny smiled.

"For you," Lauren said, "You'll be playing shows and hanging out every night. We're still stuck here with school and jobs."

"This is our job," Tom shrugged smiling, "It's just a lot more fun than yours."

Lauren stuck her tongue out at him, "Well bring me something back. I'll be expecting a present." she smiled.

"Yeah we'll get both you guys something." Harry told her. Riley slouched in her chair and sighed. A year away from Dougie? A year away from all of them. She couldn't believe they were really going to leave.

By the end of the night the boys (mainly Danny) had a few drinks. Which meant he was pretty crazy. Everyone else just thought it was fun to watch him. By the end of the night he managed to trip twice over the same chair, spill a bottle of water and slam his fingers in the door.

"Be sure not to let him drive home," Lauren laughed when the four boys were getting ready to leave.

"We won't," Tom said. He and Dougie were the only sober ones because Dougie can't drink and Tom was the appointed driver since Dougie can't drive either.

"Bye guys," Lauren said hugging each of them, tears stinging in her eyes.

"Bye," Harry hugged her. Lauren laughed through her tears. "If I'm crying now I can only imagine I'll be a mess tomorrow when we see you guys to your flight."

"We'll see you tomorrow," Tom waved after everyone had said their goodbyes.

"Hey," Dougie led Riley outside. The other three were waiting for him in the car. "You've been quiet. Is everything okay?"

Riley nodded, "I'm just gonna miss you so much,"

"I'll miss you too," Dougie said hugging her tightly, "You can call anytime you want. If I'm onstage when you call I'll call back the minute I get the chance, okay?"

"Dougie," Riley cried into his chest.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Dougie smiled, knowing she didn't mean it the way he wanted her to. "I love you too."

"You have to tell him," Lauren said the next morning on the drive to the airport.

"I can't!" Riley said, "We went through this!"

"I know but think about it. He's going to come home to this kid and he might be a little upset you didn't tell him." Lauren said never taking her eyes off the road.

"I know I know," Riley sighed, "But if I do tell him all he's going to do is worry about me. And I'd feel bad. So I can't tell him and that means neither can you. Got it?"

Lauren sighed, "Got it.

"Excited?" Harry asked the next morning on the drive to the airport. Dougie was bouncing up and down in his seat, "Yeah. Man I've never been to America before this is gonna be so epic."

"Mate, don't talk so loud," Danny groaned. He was sprawled out in the back seat, his legs on Dougie's lap. "I have the worst headache."

"Maybe you shouldn't have drank so much last night," Tom smiled.

"Gee, ya think?" Danny said closing his eyes. Soon they all got out of the car and grabbed their bags. They were off to America for an entire year. A bad feeling crashed over Dougie as he remembered that was an entire year away from the girl he loved.

But then another thought crossed his mind. She didn't love him back. Maybe that was all he needed. A year away from her to get his mind off things. He decided at that point to change his attitude and look at this situation with an open mind. Maybe he would come back out of love with Riley.

"Goodbye," Lauren hugged each one of the boys, then hugged Harry. She could feel tears running down her cheeks. "Bye Harry."

"Bye," Harry hugged back, beginning to cry too. "I'll miss you," he kissed her forehead, "I promise to call every day, okay."

"Okay," Lauren nodded, wiping her tears.

"Don't cry," Harry said sadly, "We'll be back before you know it."

After everyone had said their goodbyes, both girls were standing in tears and the four boys were trying to hide the tears building in their eyes. Soon their flight was called and the four boys sighed, "Well this is it. See you guys in a year."

"Bye," the girls waved and watched them leave. A few seconds later, Dougie came running back. "I forgot something," he smiled.

"What?" Riley asked. He leaned in and kissed her on the lips. "That."  
Riley smiled and let another tear fall down her cheek. "I knew you wouldn't leave without it."

Dougie waved and ran off to catch up with the rest of his band.

"Dougie wait!" she called. He turned around and shrugged silently saying there was nothing he could do because his flight was about to leave. Riley sighed, "I love you, Dougie."


	21. One Year Later

**Chapter 21 - One Year, 6 Months and 12 Days Later**

"Home at last!" Dougie shouted walking through the door of the McFLY house. It had been over a year since they left, he had almost forgotten what it looked like.

"Thank God," Danny sighed dropping his bags in the middle of the doorway.

"Danny!" Tom shouted, "Take your stuff upstairs." A year away hadn't changed Tom. He was still as much like their mother as he's always been.

"Fine," Danny groaned picking up his bags and putting them in his room. Harry smiled and flopped on the couch, "Good to be back home."

"You said it," Tom smiled sitting on the chair next to him and turning the TV on. Soon Danny and Dougie were back from their rooms. Dougie had his lizard on his shoulder and he smiled, "My sister did a nice job of taking care of Zukie. He's very happy I'm home."

"Doug, you and that lizard scare me a bit," Danny laughed, "You treat it like it's your baby or something."

Dougie laughed, "He is my baby." Danny rolled his eyes.

"So yo guys want to go visit Lauren and Riley tomorrow?" Tom asked. Everyone nodded and Dougie started to get butterflies in his stomach. Even a year halfway across the country from her, he still loved her. Dougie sighed, knowing she's still going to feel the same way she did before they left.

"Alright, well I'm going to bed." Tom said getting up, "I'm exhausted."

"Same," Harry followed him, "Night guys."

"I'm going up too," Danny said, "You gonna be alright, Doug?" he asked sensing his friend's nervousness. Dougie nodded,

"Yeah."

"Alright. Get some sleep, okay?"

"Yeah, I will." Dougie nodded. After Danny was upstairs he sighed. "Zukie what am I gonna do? I'm going to be just as nervous when I see her as I've always been. Do you think she's changed a lot. Do you think she's changed her mind about me? I mean, a lot can happen in a year."

Zukie blinked.

"Yeah, you're right." Dougie sighed again.

"Doug?" Dougie heard a voice.

"Zukie!?"

They laughed and the kitchen light turned on. It was Harry. Dougie smiled, "Oh. Hey."

"You okay?" Harry asked. Dougie nodded, "I'm fine."

"No you aren't." Harry laughed, "Mate you're talking to your lizard. What's wrong?"

"Just worried about Riley is all," he sighed, "I'm fine."

"Come on," Harry stood up, "We both need our sleep. We'll see Riley in the morning."

* * *

"Harry! Come here!" Dougie shouted the next morning. Harry came running into his room. "Mate, you don't have your casts on anymore, so what could you possibly need from me?"

"What do I wear?" he asked. Harry smiled, "Mate, we're just seeing our friends. You worry too much."

"Yeah," Dougie sighed and held up a t-shirt, "What about this?"

Harry laughed, "Sure. That's fine. Now hurry up we're gonna be late."

The four boys got in the car and drove to Riley and Lauren's house. They hadn't been there since the going away party. Danny laughed remembering how drunk he had gotten. Soon they pulled into the driveway and knocked on the door. The wooden door flew open and Lauren flew into Harry's arms, "Hi guys!" she exclaimed hugging the rest of them. "Come in. It's so good to see you!"

"Look!" Dougie smiled like a little kid and wiggled his fingers, "My casts are gone."

"Good, now you won't have to have us waiting on you hand a foot," she laughed and led them into the living room where they all sat down. A few minutes later Riley walked in smiling. Dougie was the first to get up and wrap her in a hug. "Dougie! I missed you," she smiled.

"I missed you too," he said. Riley hugged the other three boys. "How was your trip?"

"It was great," Tom smiled. A few seconds later they all watched as a small boy made his way over and wrapped himself around Riley's leg. Riley lifted him up and held him close to her.

"Is this like your cousin or something?" Danny asked poking the baby in the nose and making him laugh.

"No..." Riley started, looking at Lauren. Lauren nodded and Riley took a deep breath. "He..er...he's my son."

Everyone stood in an awkward silence and soon all three boys turned towards Dougie. It took Dougie a little longer to realize what the rest of the boys were staring at him for, but one he did the color drained from his face. He stumbled backwards, Harry, Danny and Tom caught him or he would have fell to the ground. He sat down on the couch, his eyes fixed on the floor. Finally he looked up. "Your son?"

Riley nodded, "This is Nicky. Nicholas Lee Geisler."

Lauren, Danny, Tom, and Danny all headed outside to the back deck to give the two time to sort things out.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Dougie asked, emotionless.

"Dougie I-"

"It doesn't matter." he shook his head, "Riley, it's time I take responsibility for my actions. I've gotta start sometime, right? I mean as much as I'd like to forget all my responsibilities I can't." he was pacing the living room by this time, "So I'm responsible for this kid and I'm going to see to it that he's happy."

"But Dougie-" Riley tried again.

"I'm going to make sure he has a father in his life like I never did." Dougie continued.

"Dougie I..." Riley began, tears in her eyes, "I don't want you in his life."

"What?" he asked. "No. Riley please. I never had a dad and I don't want that to happen to Nicky."

"Dougie!" Riley stopped him before he could start another rant, "No!"

"Why not?" he asked coldly.

"Because he isn't yours."


	22. Not Yours

**Chapter 20**

Dougie fell back into the chair and stared down at the ground. Nicky was asleep by this time. Riley quietly went upstairs to put him in his crib, then she came back downstairs. Dougie was still sitting emotionless in the living room. Finally he looked up, "Y-you're sure...?"

Riley nodded, "Yes, Dougie. I'm sure."

"Then...who's is it?" he asked. Then he shot up out of the chair and pointed his finger at her. "Is it James's? Because if it is I swear to God I will beat his ass!"

"No Dougie. It's not James's." Riley told him.

"Oh."

"It's Cole's." she explained.

"Oh." he sighed a breath of relief. He was almost excited to have a son. But at 17? He wasn't ready to be a father. He wasn't ready to take responsibility of another human's life.

"That's right." Riley rolled her eyes, "Go on and be happy he's not yours. Go on and live you life like nothing ever happened. Keep forgetting your responsibilities, Doug. Just like before."

"Well what do you want me to say?" he asked, "'Oh I'm so disappointed I don't have a son'? Well to be honest, Riley I'm not ready to have a son! I'm 17!"

"And you think I am!?" she shouted back, "Dougie I'm almost 19! 19 and I have a baby! But there's nothing I can do about it. You, on the other hand, you have it a lot easier."

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You can't get pregnant!" she shouted in his face, making it clear. "You can go around, have sex with ANYONE you want! And you don't have to worry about the consequences like we do."

"You think it's that easy?" he shouted, "You really think it's that easy? Sure I can't get pregnant but I'm Dougie Poynter."

She rolled her eyes at him, "Wow, Dougie. Way to use your fame to your defense."

"Shut up for a minute!" he groaned, "I have a point here. Just because I'm famous, every time I do so much as buy clothes I'm put in magazines for it, let alone every time I have a new girlfriend. You think I have it easy, well I don't. You can wake up the next morning and pretend like nothing happened! I can't."

Riley folded her arms and stared at him waiting for him to continue.

"So before you even THINK I have it easy, think about the fact that I no longer have a private life. Everything I do is in the public eye. And that goes for the rest of the guys as well." he finished. "Nothing we do is secret."

Riley stood there silently. She hadn't thought about that. "I'm sorry, Dougie."

"Damn right you are. You didn't take that into consideration did you?" he shouted.

"No." she whispered.

"So quit only thinking about yourself for once here." he shouted again. "You aren't the only victim here. And think about how I feel! I come home to this kid that wasn't here before, assuming it's mine, nearly shitting myself over this and it turns out it's someone else's! Do you know what that feels like?"

"No." she whispered again.

"Damn right you don't! Riley, I was scared to become a father but I was willing to because it was my mistake. But now that I know he's someone else's kid I'm heartbroken." he told her.

"Dougie I wanted to tell you before you left because I thought he was yours." Riley began.

"Wait." Dougie stopped her, "You knew! You knew the whole time and you kept it from me! We could have saved all this fighting if you would have just told me in the first place! I take it back, this wouldn't have been my mistake at all! This is all on you!" Dougie stormed away leaving Riley in tears. Right before he slammed the front door shut, Riley shouted at him. "I hate you!"

The door swung shut behind Dougie, leaving him with those last three words. He swallowed hard as tears came to his eyes.

"I love you too," he whispered to himself.


	23. Big Mistake

"Doug,"he heard a voice. It had been nearly twenty minutes since he left the house. Dougie had just sat there on the front porch holding back tears. He knew he couldn't leave. it was too far to walk and the guys obviously weren't ready to go.

"Go away." It was Danny.

"Dougie," he said sitting down on the wooden steps next to Dougie, "What's wrong?"

He knew exactly what was wrong. Lauren told him the whole thing, but he felt obliged to ask anyway.

"The kid's not mine," Dougie told him, though he already knew.

"Dougie, you're not ready for a kid," Danny told him, "You're seventeen and in a band."

"That's not why I'm crying," he said wiping his eyes, "I knw better than anyone I'm not ready for a kid. But I feel bad it happened. But that's not why I'm crying either."

"Then why are you crying?" Danny asked him.

"Riley said she hated me," he sighed swallowing hard.

"Doug, she doesn't mean it." Danny told him with a sympathetic smile, "Do you know how many times she's told me she hated me. She doesn't mean it. She's just angry."

"I was such a jerk to her," Dougie continued, "Yelling at her that I was a victim here too. What the hell was I thinking? I'm not the one with the kid."

"You had a point though," Danny shrugged. Dougie looked at him, narrowing his glare, "You were eavesdropping weren't you?"

Danny smiled, "Yeah...we were. But could you blame us. The was you two were shouting, we thought World War Three had broken out."

Dougie hung his head.

"Not...exactly what you wanted to hear, though huh?" Danny said, regretting his earlier comment. Dougie nodded. "Well, listen man if you want to make it up to her you can still help out. The baby obviously doesn't have a father around."

"She told me she didn't want me around in his life," Dougie sighed, "And I don't blame her. I'm not exactly a good influence."  
"Neither am I," Danny shrugged, "But Tom, Harry and I decided that we're going to insist Lauren and Riley move in with us."

"What?" Dougie's head shot up.

"Mate, Riley had to drop out of school. She doesn't even have a decent job. And we're usually home during the day when Riley would take her classes. We'd look after Nicky, Riley could go to school, it all works out." Danny explained, "As long as it's cool with you. It is alright, isn't it." it was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah," Dougie sighed, "It's fine. I'd be outnumbered anyway, even if I said it wasn't."

"Exactly," Danny gave him a crooked grin. "But you might want to make up with Riley before they move in. Or else it will be a living hell for not only you two, but the rest of us."

"She's not gonna talk to me," Dougie shook his head.

"Then make her listen," Danny said before standing up and walking back around to the backyard. Dougie buried his head in his hands and took a deep breath. It was time to take responsibility for his actions whether the kid was his or not. He stood up and quietly opened the front door. Riley was sitting on the couch staring at the ceiling, tears running down her face.

"Riley?" Dougie asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

Riley quickly wiped her eyes and stood up, "What?"

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely.  
"Yeah, sure." she rolled her eyes.

"No really," he said, "I shouldn't have yelled at you. You're having a tough time here and you probably want help and I should have offered it instead of yelling at you."

"I don't need any help!" she told him firmly.

"Well if you ever do, I'm here." he shrugged. She looked into his eyes. Those blue eyes she fell for just a year ago. Those blue eyes she looked into before kissing him for the first time. Those eyes...

"Yeah, well I'll go to Tom or Harry before I go to you," she told him walking into the kitchen.

"I don't blame you," he shrugged, "But couldn't you give me just one chance to prove I'm not a total screw up."  
_You're not a screw up!_ she wanted to scream. Instead she just sighed, "Okay, I have to go do some shopping tomorrow. Lauren has to go to school so you can watch Nicky."

Dougie's eyes lit up, "Really?"

"Under one condition," she warned, "You bring Tom with you."

"Done." he smiled.

"And," she continued, "If you do ANYTHING wrong keep in mind this is your only chance."

"That's two conditions, babe." he smiled before swiping an apple off the counter and biting into it.

"Oh, so you're a math whiz now too?" she smirked. Dougie smiled, his mouth full, "Yeah. I'll teach Nicky some easy Algebra tomorrow. It'll be great."

Lauren and the rest of the McFLY boys came inside after that. Harry lifted Dougie off the ground making him drop his apple.

"What are you doing?" he choked.

"We're heading out," he said setting Dougie back down.

"Alright," he said, "Bye guys. It's good to see you again. And I will see you tomorrow," Dougie eyed Riley.

"Yeah, yeah. Get out of here before I change my mind." she told him. He turned back around, "Oh. And am I by chance getting paid for this?"

"Don't push it," she warned shoving him out the door. He laughed on the way out, "You remember that last time you said that to me?" he giggled.

Riley stopped and thought back.

_"You go back up the the RV so Tom doesn't think we got lost. I'm going to take a shower then come back up in a little bit."  
Dougie smiled and grabbed his t-shirt, "Alright, are you sure you don't want me to join you?"  
"Don't push it," Riley smiled back.  
"You can't blame me for trying," Dougie grinned cheekily as he walked out the door. _

"Yeah..." she hesitated, remembering the morning after the "incident" as she referred to it as. "You do too?"

"Of course," he grinned cheekily, "And that offer is still open any time."

"Ew." she said before shoving him again, "I'll pass."

"You love me," he grinned.

"Out!" she shouted before watching him laugh all the way back to the car. Don't fall for him again, she warned herself. You can't afford to fall for him again.

When she got back into the living room she sat down on the couch and buried her head in her hands.

"What's wrong?" Lauren asked.

Riley groaned. "I think I have just made a huge mistake."


	24. The Babysitter

"What did I do?" Riley was pacing the house back and forth the next morning worrying. Dougie was going to be there any minute.

"You know you really should trust Dougie more," Lauren said taking a sip of her coffee. Riley glared at her and kept walking.

"Lauren, this is Dougie Poynter we're talking about. I'm leaving my one year old with DOUGIE POYNTER!" Riley complained, setting Nicky in his highchair. Lauren giggled, "On second thought, you're right. He won't last two minutes let alone two hours.""Lauren!" Riley said while pouring a few cheerios on the tray of Nicky's highchair for him to eat, "You're supposed to be on my side here!"

"I AM on you're side!" Lauren said. "What do you want me to say?"

"You're supposed to say, 'no, he'll do fine. Everything will be okay.'" Riley told her friend. Lauren laughed, "Riley that's what I said the first time and you convinced me to change my mind. He'll do fine. You're worrying too much."

"Yeah you're right," Riley sighed sitting at the table.

"We'll be lucky if he even remembers to wake up," Lauren said taking another drink of her coffee.

Right after she said that, the front door opened and in came Dougie, clad in a pair of torn jeans, a white Hurley t-shirt and flip flops. His hair was still wet, as if he had just gotten out of the shower, and his wet floppy bangs hung over his eyes.

Riley swallowed hard, her stomach filling with butterflies. He was beautiful.

"Morning friends!" he came in through the door and took a seat at the table next to Nicky's high chair. Nicky stared at him before carefully picking up a cheerio and stuffing it into his mouth. He then picked up another one and held it out to Dougie. Dougie smiled and opened his mouth, and Nicky stuffed the cheerio, along with his small hand, into Dougie's mouth. Dougie chewed loudly, making Nicky giggle. Riley folded her arms. She was secretly hoping Nicky wouldn't like him so she would have an excuse to stay home.

"Where's Tom?" she asked suddenly remembering their deal.

"He had to go meet with Fletch 'bout something," Dougie said picking at Nicky's cheerios.

"I'm leaving him with you alone?" she said, her eyes wide.

"Calm down." Dougie sighed, "Only for like a half hour. Tom's coming as soon as he can. We'll be fine."

Lauren laughed, "Well, I'm gonna go. Riley, quit worrying so much. I mean, how bad could Doug screw up?"

"Right," Dougie smiled, "I won't screw up. I promise."

Riley sighed, "Okay, okay. You know my cell number, call if you need anything."

"We'll be FINE!" Dougie insisted shoving her out the door, "Bye!"

Once everyone was gone Dougie turned around to see Nicky shoving his bowl of cheerios around on his tray. He picked it up from the side, letting everything spill out of it and the bowl fell on the floor. He looked up a Dougie, his small face scrunched up turning red. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes and started crying.

"No, don't cry," Dougie said walking over to him lifting him out of his chair, "It's okay. See look, we can pick it up. It's no big deal."

Dougie held Nicky close to his side and picked the bowl off the ground setting it in the sink. He began picking up the cheerios that were all laying on the floor. "See. It's all better now," he told Nicky who was still crying.

"Aw, come on. Don't cry," Dougie pleaded. It was no use.

"Here...uh..." Dougie looked around to try to find something to make him stop crying. He saw a small purple monkey lying in the living room and he picked it up off the couch, "Look. What is this? Is this a monkey?"

Nicky stopped screaming long enough to grab the monkey out of Dougie's hands. He looked at it for a minute, then threw it across the room, crying again.

"And apparently he flies," Dougie sighed. He sat down on the couch putting Nicky on his lap. Nicky kept screaming. Dougie tried everything he could think of. He made faces, animal noises, anything he could think of. He sighed, "Nicky, you're killing me, dude. Please just stop crying."

Nicky's face was bright red, tears rolling down his cheeks. Dougie tried one last thing he could think of. He started singing.

"_Tidal waves they rip right through me  
Tears from eyes worn cold and sad  
Pick me up now, I need you so bad_"

Right as he began singing that Blink 182 song in a soft voice, Nicky stopped crying. He stared intently as Dougie finished the chorus of the song. Dougie smiled, "So you don't hate my singing then?" he laughed. Nicky laughed too, though he had no idea what was funny.

"You like Blink 182?" he asked again, obviously not expecting a response. "They're good. When you're older maybe I'll take you to a concert although I'm sure your mother will kill me."

Nicky laughed again.

"Do you want to hear me sing more?" Dougie asked. Nicky smiled and shoved his fingers into his mouth. Dougie took that as a yes. He didn't sing much in the band. Just backup. But he did like singing, he just didn't think he was very good.

"_Are you afraid of being alone?  
'Cause I am. I'm lost without you.  
Are you afraid of leaving tonight?  
'Cause I am. I'm lost without you._"

"Wow Doug, singing love songs to the kid, huh?" Dougie heard a voice that made him jump. He felt his face burn and he turned around. Tom walked into the room smiling.

"It...er..it was the only way I could get him to stop crying." Dougie said, embarrassed.

"Shocker. You'd think that'd make it worse." Danny laughed walking inside.

"What are you doing here?" Dougie asked.

"He came for backup" Tom smiled.

"Actually, I came to see how bad of a babysitter you'd be," Danny smiled flopping on the couch next to him.

"Cheers," he smiled. "Where's Harry?"

"He took his sister into town," Tom told him. "So he's not gonna be home all day."

"Oh," Dougie nodded. Soon after Tom and Danny walked inside, Nicky started crying again. "Oh no," Dougie groaned, "What now?"

"Maybe he misses his mum," Danny suggested. "Or he's hungry."

"He can't be hungry, he just ate." Dougie told him, "Half of which he threw on the floor."

"Maybe you could breast feed him Doug," Danny said with a crooked grin.

"Ha ha," Dougie glared at him before returning his attention to the screaming baby.

"Or maybe it's something else..." Tom said. Dougie and Danny shared a look before looking back at Tom. Tom shrugged, "You HAVE changed a diaper before...right?"

"Uh...sure." Dougie nodded, picking Nicky up.

"This should be fun," Danny laughed reaching in the fridge for a soda before following the two boys upstairs. Dougie just stared from Tom to Nicky who was lying on the changing table in the nursery.

"Well..." Tom smiled. He was getting a kick out of this.

"You sure you don't wanna do this Tom?" he asked. Tom shook his head, "Nooo thanks. This is all you, buddy."  
Dougie sighed, "Life was better with two broken wrists."

Dougie hesitated before taking off the baby's little shorts. "Go on," Danny urged, enjoying this as much as Tom was. "It ain't like you've never seen another dude naked from the waist below before. I know what you and Tom do after I go to sleep. Your secret's out."

Tom smacked him in the back of the head. "Ow!"

Dougie took a deep breath and managed to accomplish his task without messing up. Tom checked his watch after Dougie was finished, "Wow, Doug. That took a record breaking five minutes."

"Shut up," Dougie whined, "I've never done this before, okay?"

"It doesn't take an idiot to change a diaper," Tom told him.

"Though one just did," Danny grinned. Dougie rolled his eyes and picked Nicky up and they all headed back downstairs. Dougie took a deep breath and smiled. Maybe he wouldn't screw up after all.


	25. Slip n Slide

Nicky sat on Danny's shoulders tugging and his impossibly curly hair, which he'd stopped straightening recently. Nicky was giggling happily and Danny was wincing in pain at every tug of his brown hair.

"Nicky, baby, you gotta stop." he said glancing up at the kid. Nicky just laughed and pulled harder so Danny lifted the baby off his shoulders and set him on the ground where he began to walk wobbly through the kitchen.

"How much longer till Riley gets back?" Tom asked. Dougie shrugged, "Shouldn't be long. But why are you complaining? You haven't done a thing."

"Yeah, but I don't think it's fair that I have to babysit you while you babysit Nicky." Tom smiled. Dougie laughed, "Yeah. Well it isn't my fault I'm not trusted." Nicky yawned the plopped himself down on the kitchen floor. Dougie smiled and lifted the baby up, taking him to his room for a nap. Dougie set Nicky in his crib, kissed his little forehead and began to walk away. As soon as Dougie started walking, Nicky started crying. Dougie ran back over to the baby's side and began talking softly to him. "Nicky. Don't cry. Shh go to sleep."

It was no use. He kept crying. Dougie sighed, lifting Nicky up out of the crib then walking over to the wooden rocking chair and sitting down with Nicky in his arms. "Come on, Nicky. I know you're tired. Just go to sleep."

He wouldn't stop crying. Dougie sighed again, "You're killin' me, kid."

He looked down at Nicky and realized at once how much he looked like his mom. Dougie frowned remembering all the times Riley had cried. Remembered all the times it was his fault. He felt tears in his eyes and he started singing softly to Nicky again.

_Remember when we scratched our names into the sand  
And told me you loved me  
But now that I find  
That you've changed your mind  
I'm lost for words  
And everything I feel for you  
I wrote down on one piece of paper  
The one in your hand  
You won't understand  
How much it hurts to let you go"_

_Nicky stopped crying and closed _his eyes. Dougie smiled and put him in his crib. When he turned around, Riley was standing at the door smiling, "That was really good, Dougie."

"Thanks," He smiled, embarrassed again. He didn't know Riley was at the door.

"Well, it looks like you did a pretty good job." she smiled.

"Yeah." he said with a half smile. "It was fun."

"Nicky seems to like you a lot,"

"I like him a lot too," he laughed. They both stood beside his crib watching him sleep. "Has he had his first word yet?" Dougie asked out of nowhere.

Riley shook her head, "No. He just babbles on and on about God knows what." Dougie laughed, "I have to ask. Who'd you name him after?"

"Well, Nicholas was my father," she said. Dougie nodded, knowing her dad died when she was only nine. "And...Lee is your middle name."

Dougie felt a lump in his throat. "Me?" he managed to choke out. Riley nodded. "But why? I'm not his father."

"I know." she sighed. They both stood there watching Nicky sleep, his small chest moving with every breath he took. He looked to peaceful. So innocent.

"But I know you'll always be there for him," she continued, "You'll always be there for me."

"Riley, honestly." Dougie said a tear falling down his cheek, "How can you say that? Me always be there for you? Riley I was in America when he was born. I didn't even know! Not to mention all the times I've hurt you and made you cry. I'm a terrible person, Riley."

"Dougie no you aren't." she told him, "You're amazing. And even if I say I don't want you around in his life, I know you will be."

"Where's..." Dougie began, "Where's Cole in all this?"

"I dunno," Riley shrugged, "He knows about Nicky but he could care less. For all I know he's off fucking a different girl every night. He doesn't care."

"bastard..." Dougie sighed, "Listen, I know what it's like to grow up without a dad. And it sucks. And I'm gonna make sure this kid has a dad. Or at least a guy there for him. And that's gonna be me whether you want it to be me or not."

Riley fell into Dougie's arms smiling, "You're the best friend a person could ask for," she whispered.

"I try," he smiled. The two of them walked hand in hand down the steps to join everyone else. Apparently, while the two of them were upstairs, Harry and Lauren had joined them because the two of them were lying on the couch, lips glued to each other.

"Ahem!" Dougie coughed. They didn't notice. This time he coughed louder, "AHEM!! AHHEEEM!!"

The two of them shot up, red faced and Harry's mouth smudged with lip-gloss. Dougie laughed, "Get a room."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck, "Sorry,"

"So where are the other two?" Riley asked pulling a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"Outside on the Slip n Slide," Lauren laughed. They all walked over to the glass door that looked out to the backyard and sure enough, Tom and Danny were sliding shirtless across the wet strip of plastic. Dougie grinned and jumped up and down.

"I wanna try!" she shouted opening the door, ripping his shirt off, tossing it on the ground and sliding across the slip n slide. Riley laughed as Harry chased after him and tackled Danny to the ground, both of them sliding around. She and Lauren sat on the back deck laughing as the four boys were acting like nine year olds.

"Dish soap!" Danny shouted, running in the house. Lauren got up and grabbed his arm, "Woah woah woah. You aren't tracking water all through my house."

"We need dish soap!" Danny told her.

"For what?" she asked him.

"It makes it slipperier." he smiled like a five year old. Lauren laughed and went inside to get him his dish soap. You couldn't resist a face like that. She handed him the bottle and he smiled, running back to his friends and squirting it all over the yellow slip n slide. After he was done he rubbed some on his stomach then slid across, getting bubbles everywhere. He was giggling like a little kid, "Doug, dude you gotta try this."

So of course, Dougie rubs the green dish soap on his torso and tackles Tom, the two of them sliding across the soapy yellow strip of plastic. Lauren and Riley looked at each other, not being able to stay out of the fun much longer. They ran up to their rooms, changed into their swimsuits, then dove across the slip n slide, the four boys cheering them on. Eventually the were all laying at the end of the slip n slide, soaking wet, sides hurting from laughing so hard. They started flicking soap suds at each other getting it in their hair and everywhere else possible. Riley giggle and fell over laying her head in Dougie's lap. He laughed too and stared down at her. Tears were running down her cheeks from laughing so hard. She sighed and looked up at him smiling, "This feels good to finally get to act like a kid again."


	26. Spies

By the next week Riley and Lauren were moved in with the McFLY boys. One night Danny and Dougie were up later than usual. Dougie headed over to Danny's room and the two of them hooked the X-Box up to the TV and were up nearly all night playing. It wasn't until around midnight they heard footsteps.

"Shh." Danny put down his controller, turned the television off and headed over to the door. "You hear that?"

"Hear what?" Dougie whispered crawling over to the door. They opened it a crack and peered out into the hallway. They heard footsteps again. The person took a few steps, stopped, waited, then walked again. Footsteps. Silence. More footsteps. Soon they made out an image of a girl.

"Dude, it's the girl from The Ring!" Dougie whispered hiding behind Danny. Danny rolled his eyes. It was a bad idea to let him watch that movie. "Shut up, Doug. It is not."

"Then who is it?" he asked, his voice shaking. He was terrified.

"It's...Lauren...?" Danny said quietly.

"Lauren?" Dougie said at full volume. Danny clamped his hand over Dougie's mouth. Dougie get frustrated and licked him. Danny pulled a face and laughed, wiping his hand on the top of his pants, "Gross."

"So what's she doing?" Dougie whispered. She looked like she was on her way to the room next to Danny's, which just happened to be Harry's room.

"Dudeeeee." Danny grinned holding out a fist. Dougie hit his fist into Danny's grinning just as wide. "Haha this is gonna be classic."

That was the fun thing about living together. If one boy brought a girl home for the night, everyone else knew. And they had the power to do whatever they wanted about it. In this case, Danny and Dougie were planning on spying on them. Being immature. Doing exactly what they do best.

"Is she actually going to Harry's room?" Dougie whispered again. Danny shrugged and stuck his head out the door and watched Lauren open the door to Harry's room just wide enough to slip in, then close behind her. Danny grinned again,

"Aaaand she's in."

"Lights, camera and action." Dougie said with a wry grin. The two of them pressed their ears to the wall that separated the two bedrooms. They couldn't hear anything but muffled talking.

"This is lame," Dougie groaned, "Come on Harry. Use your amazing woman power we all know you have!"

"Shh!" Danny hushed him as he tried listening. Things got quiet. Soon, Danny heard a knock on his door. Tom walked inside in a pair of plaid pajama pants and a ghostbusters shirt. "What the hell are you two-"

"Shh!" they both turned their attention back to the wall. "Lauren just went into Harry's room."

Tom smiled and joined his two friends by the wall, smiling. "So what's happened so far?"

Danny and Dougie ignored his question and they all listened intently.

"What's happening?" Dougie asked. Danny shrugged, "I dunno man but this is lame. We can't hear anything." he grinned, "I have an idea."

He walked over to his stereo and popped in one of Dougie's Blink CDs then turned the volume up, placing the speakers against the wall.

The three of them all sat around, talking and laughing loudly waiting for something to happen. A few minutes later the door opened and Harry's head and bare chest were seen through the door. His hair was messed up and he was rubbing the back of his neck, "You mind?"

"What?" Danny asked innocently.

"You know what," he scowled, "The music."

"What about it?" Tom asked just as innocently, smiling and showing off his one dimple. Harry stepped forward, threatening to hit him and Dougie threw a pillow at him, covering his eyes with his hand, "Put some pants on dude!"

Harry was in the door just far enough to reveal that not only didn't he have a shirt on, but he didn't have his jeans on either. He stepped back a bit, shutting the door around a bit more.

"Haz," Danny grinned, "What's going on in there?"

"Nothing," he groaned, "Just keep it down. I'm...kinda busy."

"Oooooh," the three boys teased him as he rolled his eyes and stepped back outside. The second he did he heard the music go up louder. This was going to be a long night. He made a mental note not to bring Lauren back to his room until he was sure the rest of the guys were not in Danny's room.

"Judd the Stud strikes again!" Danny laughed after Harry left the room, giving Tom a high five.

"Legend," Tom laughed.

"Why didn't I get a party?" Dougie asked suddenly.

"Because you weren't as obvious." Tom pointed out, "Let's face it, Doug. No one expected you and Riley."

"Cheers," he flashed a fake grin and leaned back in his chair.

The next morning Dougie woke up to realize he was still in Danny's room. Danny was crashed on his own bed, Tom was curled up in a ball on the floor and Dougie was sitting upright in a chair. How he managed to sleep through the night like that, he wasn't sure. He got up and stretched then headed into the bathroom and turned the hot water on in the shower, stepped out of his clothes, then hopped in the shower. Dougie always sang in the shower. Loud, too. He didn't like singing in a crowd but if he was by himself he loved to sing. When he was finished, his stepped out of the shower, towel dried his blonde hair, then wrapped a towel around his waist. It was early and he didn't think anyone else was awake so he opened the door to head back to his room.

"Ow!" he heard someone say as he opened the door. He looked behind the bathroom door to see that Lauren had been up against it. He must have hit her in the head when he opened it.

"What the hell?" he asked. She instantly reddened. "I was just..err..was that you singing?"

This time it was Dougie's turn to go red. "Yeah," he rubbed the back of his neck, "But what were you doing listening to me. That's a violation of my privacy, not to mention slightly creepy."

"And you're one to talk!" Lauren shot back. Dougie went red again, then grinned wryly, "So I would assume you have just come from Harry's room then?"

Lauren sat speechless as Dougie spoke again, "Well it's good to see you put clothes on first."

"Yeah, maybe you should do the same," Lauren said not being able to resist looking down at his bare chest and the towel around his waist. Dougie laughed, "I was just on my way to do that until I ran into you. Which brings about the question, what were you doing listening to me?"

"Well, Riley said you had such a sweet voice but I've never actually heard you sing," Lauren confessed. Dougie became angry. He didn't like people hearing his singing. "If you wanted to hear my singing, go get one of our CDs." he pushed angrily passed her.

"Well that's the thing," she said following him. "You don't have any solos on your albums."

Dougie went into his room and began looking for something to wear. Lauren sat contently on his bed. Dougie turned around, still angry, "Do you just try to see as many guys as you can naked? I mean first Harry, now me."

Lauren turned red realizing he was still in just a towel. She shook her head, "No. But that's beside the point. You need t convince Danny and Tom to give you a solo. And if you don't, I will."

"You're joking, right?" he said, "I can't sing in front of a huge crowd. I can sing backup, considering no one hears me much anyway, and I can play bass. That's it."

"No! You have such a good voice," she argued.

"If you don't leave, I'm going to be forced to drop my towel," Dougie told her.

"But Dougie you really-"

"Three..."

"Dougie I just think you ought to-"

"Two,"

"If you just listen to me-"

"One." Dougie's towel hit the floor and Lauren was out of the room.


	27. Good for Him

**okay I have finally caught myself up. I just wrote this add last night whilst I was on a sugar high with the help of my good friends lol. So you have been warned ahead of time if this is insane. Anyway, I will no longer have random spurs of hundreds of updates at a Time. I promise  
**

Dougie pulled out his notebook and began writing, after he got dressed of course. He had a lot on his mind that morning and right as he put his pen to the paper the words started flowing out.

_Funny feeling happened today  
Somewhere buried in the past  
It didn't mean much, that much anyway  
I know the love will never last._

He sighed and slid his notebook under his bed and made his way downstairs to have some breakfast. He was in a bad mood that morning, though he didn't know why. He wasn't mad at Lauren for listening to him anymore. He had gotten over that. He was just in a bad mood. He poured on cereal and sat down at the table. A few minutes later, Riley came down the stairs with Nicky in her arms. She smiled as Nicky pointed his chubby little fingers at Dougie. "Who is that?" Riley asked. He giggled and held his arms out to Dougie. Dougie got up and grabbed the baby. "Good morning Nicky." he smiled making Nicky laugh again.

"Can you say Dougie?" he asked. Only incoherent babbling was heard from him. Dougie laughed, "Not quite there yet, huh?"

Lauren came down the stairs followed by Harry a few minutes later. Dougie looked up at Harry and laughed, "Hey, hey, look who decided to wear clothes this morning!"

Harry rolled his eyes and took a seat at the table digging into Dougie's cereal. Dougie pointed and Harry and whispered,

"He's a bad influence."

"Nicky loves me." Harry objected. Nicky glared at him for a few seconds then turned back to Dougie, tugging on his hair and giggling. Riley folded her arms and smiled watching Dougie play with Nicky. He was good for Nicky. Like he said, Nicky was going to need a father figure around in his life.

"Riley," Dougie whined minutes later, holding the baby arms length away from him, "Nicky wants you."

"Nickky wants me, or you want Nicky to want me so you don't have to change him?" she smirked.

"What you said," he grinned. Riley took Nicky and started for the stairs but Danny came down soon afterwards. Riley shoved the baby at him, "Here Danny I've got a job for you."

He took the baby and gave Riley a funny look. "A job? Riley I don't think I - oh my God what smells?"

Dougie laughed and Danny looked down and Nicky. He held the baby back towards Riley, "Oh come on, Ri."

"Please Danny," she pouted, "I have to leave in like, 20 minutes for my first day. You might as well get used to it."

Danny sighed and turned around, grabbing Tom's arm on the way to the other room, "Fine. Tom you're helping me."

There was an awkward silence after that. Dougie knew what Lauren and Harry had been doing the night before, Harry and Lauren knew that Dougie knew, and Riley was clueless. They all sat around at the table not saying a word. Finally Lauren pushed her chair back, "Well I'm gonna go. I'm going to stop at Starbucks before I head to work. Bye guys," she kissed Harry on the cheek and left. Moments later, Nicky came running into the kitchen as fast as his chubby little legs would carry him completely naked. Danny was chasing after him with a diaper in one hand and a little shirt in the other. Dougie got up and scooped the naked Nicky off the kitchen floor and took the diaper and shirt from Danny, "I'll take it from here," he sighed going into the other room.

"You raise a devil child, you know that?" Danny told Riley taking Dougie's spot at the table. Riley rolled her eyes and followed Dougie into the other room. He had actually managed to dress Nicky and the two of them were sitting on the floor building with blocks. Nicky knocked the tower over, looked up at Dougie then started crying. Dougie grabbed him and set him in his lap trying to calm him down, singing softly as he rocked him back and forth.

"You know, you're really good for him." Riley told him. Dougie smiled, "I like looking after him."

"He's lucky to have you." Riley commented. Dougie looked back down at Nicky who was crying. "Shh. Don't cry."

Nicky took a breath and looked up at Dougie. He had his mom's eyes. He looked at Dougie, opened his mouth and said, "Daddy,"

Dougie stared at him, stunned. Nicky repeated himself. "Daddy. Daddy. Daddy."

His eyes filled with tears as he looked down at the baby. "No, Nicky. I'm not your dad," he said.

"Daddy," Nicky repeated. Dougie's heart shattered. It finally hit him. No matter how bad he wanted to pretend this kid was his, the truth was he wasn't. Dougie stood up wiping his eyes as he handed Nicky to his mother then ran off to his room.

All day at school Riley couldn't stop thinking about Dougie. He was really upset. Later that night she headed up to Dougie's room. The lights were off but from the crack in the doorway she could see the soft glow of the TV. She pushed the door open a little further and looked at his TV screen. She giggled to herself softly when she realized he was watching porn. Same old Dougie. She pushed the door open even further to see Dougie lying on his bed in a pair of Toy Story boxers, his left hand down his pants.

"Uh...Dougie," she said quietly. He shot up and with the hand that wasn't in his pants, he quickly turned the television off then pulled his hand out of his boxers. "Hi," he said, his face red. Riley sat awkwardly at the edge off his bed. "Listen. About earlier. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said as a tear fell. He went to wipe his face with his left hand, then quickly switched to his right, remembering where his other one had just been. "No I'm not," he then said as he stood up and started pacing the room.

"Riley, this kid think I'm his dad!" he said, "And I'm not! As much as I wish I was, I'm not. And he's never gonna know his real father because his real father is an asshole and that's not fair."

"Dougie, whether you're his real father or not it doesn't matter. As long as you're there for him, that's all he needs. You don't have to be his biological father, Dougie. He just needs a father figure. And now look at him. He's got four."

Dougie laughed slightly to himself, "What are you gonna do when he goes into kindergarten? He's gonna be like 'yeah, you're dad's a firefighter? Well my dad's in a band. ALL FOUR OF THEM!'"

Riley laughed, "Yeah we'll have to be careful about that."

"I just hate to see him have to grow up without a dad." Dougie sighed tears filling his eyes again.

"You really love him, don't you?" Riley said. Dougie nodded, "I couldn't love him any more even if he was my own kid."

Riley wrapped him in her arms. "Then that's all he really needs."


	28. Blueberry Muffins and Starbucks Coffee

"Can you say Danny?" Danny asked Nicky who was in his arms trying to grab at Danny's curly hair. Nicky had just woken up and it was Danny's job to entertain him while Riley got ready for school.

"Daddy!" the baby squealed.

"No, Nicky. Danny." Danny tried to correct him.

"Daddy!" he laughed again. Danny sighed, "No, buddy. You're almost there. It's like this, replace the two D's with two N's."

"I don't think the kid is fluent in his ABC's yet, Danny." Riley rolled her eyes and she and Dougie came back into the kitchen.

Riley took her kid back from Danny and kissed him on the forehead, "Be good for Uncle McFLY." she said. She had begun referring to all four boys as Uncle McFLY to save time. She then handed Nicky to Dougie and left.

"Well, I'm going to get in the shower then," Danny dashed up the stairs. He hopped in the shower then head a knock on the door. He poked his head out the curtain, "What?"

"I'm goin' to Starbucks and then up to the mall for a while. You wanna come?" Tom asked.

"Sure.Gimme a minute. I gotta get decent," he said getting out of the shower and drying off then pulling on a pair of ripped jeans and a t-shirt. He shook his wet curly hair then opened the door, "Alright. Let's go."

"Hey, we're leaving." Tom told Dougie was was attempting to feed Nicky. Dougie looked up from the baby, "Oh fine, just leave me here alone!"

"You're not alone." Danny said, "Harry's here."

"Hardly the babysitting type," Dougie rolled his eyes turning his attention back to Nicky, "Alright, fine. I'll see you later."

"Bye," Danny waved as he shut the door behind him.

"So Harry," Dougie smiled, "Just you and me."

"I feel as though you're trying too hard." Harry joked getting up off the couch, "You'll never get laid that way, dude."

"Ha ha," Dougie rolled his eyes, "Funny stuff Harry. Very funny stuff."

"I'm just saying. If you wanna get some from Riley again you gotta get your charm back." Harry said with a grin. Dougie shot up and playfully pinned Harry to the wall.

"Dougie I'm flattered, but this isn't the right time. And in front of the kid?" Harry said, wide eyed. Dougie back off and Harry walked away laughing. Dougie smacked him in the back of the head. "You're being a real smartass today, I see."

"Language!" Harry scolded him, putting his hands over Nicky's ears, "There's a small child in the room"  
Dougie rolled his eyes and flopped on the couch. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Tom and Danny hopped into Tom's mini and headed towards Starbucks, Tom's newest obsession.

"Tom, you know like every chick in the world loves Starbucks coffee," Danny pointed out as he rolled down his window.

"So?" Tom asked looking at Danny through the corner of his eye.

"So I'm just saying your obsession is a little girly," Danny stuck his hand out the window waving at random people off the streets.

"Well if gives me a good excuse to chat up some of the girls," Tom smiled as he parked the car, "Which is better than you could do."

"Yeah, 'cause a girl is really gonna want to go out with some Starbucks obsessed Star Wars loving dork," Danny shot back playfully as they walked through the glass doors of the coffee shop.

"I'm goin' to the bathroom. Get me a blueberry muffin?" Danny said heading towards the men's room.

"You don't want any coffee?" Tom asked looking surprised.

"I don't like coffee, Tom," Danny shook his head pushing the door open. Tom ordered for Danny and himself then sat down.

When Danny came back he sat across from Tom, staring forward. He wasn't staring at Tom though, more like past him.

"Hello? Danny?" Tom waved his hand in front of his face.

"Mate, check out the bird ordering over there," he said never taking his eyes off her. Tom turned around for a second then turned back to Danny, pulling a face, "Ew, her?"

"No!" Danny shouted, turning Tom back around and pointing, "Her,"

"Ohhh," Tom nodded, "Wow..."

"Yeah," Danny sighed, "So you think I could get her?"

Tom laughed, "Seems as though you can get anyone, so I suppose so."

"Exactly," Danny grinned cheekily and stood up, "Watch the master at work." Danny walked towards the girl and Tom sat back and laughed to himself, "This oughtta be good!"

"Excuse me." Danny tapped the girl on the shoulder, "Hi. I'm new 'round here. I haven't really gotten anything from Starbuck before. What do you recommend?"

Tom rolled his eyes and groaned, "Come on man! You gotta be kidding me! The kid's losing his touch."

The brunette girl laughed a little and Danny did all he could to keep from falling over at the sight of her smile.

"Yeah, I can see you've never been here before seeing as you don't have any money with you." She pointed out. Danny reached into his pockets and turned red, "Guess not."

The brunette smiled and held her hand out, "I'm Olivia Shaw,"

"Danny Jones," he turned red shaking it.

"Wait." she stopped, "Like THEE Danny Jones?"

"Yeah..." he hesitated. He hoped this wasn't going to be one of those crazy fan moments where they screamed and told their friends. He would have been embarrassed.

"My little cousin loves you," she told him, "And I can see why."

Score one for Danny, he thought to himself as he glanced at Tom who gave him a thumbs up.

"Listen," Olivia pulled out a pen from her purse and grabbed Danny's arm, "Why don't you call me tonight and you and I can get to know each other."

"Yeah," Danny said feeling weak in the knees. "Sure. I'll call you later."

"Bye Danny," she waved and headed off towards a few more girls, obviously her friends, who were squealing and saying things like "oh my god you're so lucky!" and "he is so fit!"

"How do you do it, man?" Tom asked as the two of them headed out of the Starbucks. Danny grinned and shrugged, "I dunno. I just do." he stared down at the numbers that were scrawled on his arm. This was going to be a good day.


	29. More Babysitting

"Danny's got a date tonight!" Tom sang as he and Danny walked through the front doors. He danced around the kitchen drawing more attention to himself than necessary. "La la la la laaa!"

"Oooooh," the other boys started in on him like little kids. "And who is the unlucky bird this time?" Harry asked.

"Her name's Olivia," Danny said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oooh," they all smiled again. "And where did you meet Olivia?" Dougie asked him. It was funny how immature they all were about this stuff. Come to think of it, they were immature about everything.

"Starbucks," Danny answered.

"Ooooh."

"Knock it off!" he laughed, "You guys are like seven year olds,"

"Danny and Olivia sittin' in a tree," they all sang loudly, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"You guys are ridiculous," Danny shook his head and walked up towards his room, the sounds of the three other boys laughing following him.

"But seriously dude, is she fit?" Harry asked, his laughter subsiding.

"Would Danny chat up anyone if they weren't fit?" Tom said to him. Harry laughed, "Very true. So where are you gonna take her tonight?"

""I guess just to see a movie or something." he shrugged, "And dinner."  
"And are you planning on this relationship actually LASTING?" Dougie asked with a grin, referring to Danny's bad dating habits. He never had a long term girlfriend.

"I don't know! I barely know her yet!" Danny shouted shutting his bedroom door and flopping down onto his bed.  
He dozed off a few minuted after that and when he woke up he picked up his phone and dialed the smudged numbers that were written on his arm. He waited anxiously for her to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Olivia. It's Danny," he said, playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"Oh, hey!" she sounded excited.

"So, do you wanna go get dinner tonight? Or see a movie or something?" he asked. He was always nervous around girls when he was on the phone with them for the first time.

She sighed, "I really want to. But it turns out I have to babysit my cousin. It was kind of a last minute thing."

"Oh," Danny said disappointed.

"But why don't you come over anyway? She loves McFLY she'd be so excited to meet you," Olivia said. Danny's spirits lifted again. He smiled, "Yeah. Sure that'll be fun."

"Alright. Come by in about an hour or so, alright?"

"Sure." he smiled, "See you then." He hung up and hopped in the shower to get ready for his date.

"You can do this, Danny," he said to himself taking a deep breath and stepping up onto Olivia's porch, "It's just like any other date." He took one more deep breath then knocked on the door. Olivia answered and smiled. "Hi Danny," she hugged him and he nearly passed out.

"Hi Olivia," he smiled at her as she pulled away. "Hang on," she smiled, "Stay right here."

Danny stood in the entrance of her house as she disappeared to another room. Soon she came back with a small girl around seven or eight years old. She knelt down beside her and smiled, "Kate, this is Danny."

The little girl stood speechless, staring up at the curly guitarist. Danny laughed, "Hi Kate."

"Y-y-you're Danny Jones," she managed to say. Danny laughed again, "I am." he knelt down and shook her hand, "It's nice to meet you."

At first, she didn't seem to get what was going on. Her face was priceless, like she was still trying to process in her mind that Danny Jones was standing at her door. Olivia laughed and Danny stood back up and followed her inside, Kate right at his heals. The three of them watched movies and played board games for a while. Kate seemed to be very quiet but soon, she was full of questions. "So what's it like being in a band?"

"It's great," Danny smiled, "Tom, Dougie and Harry are my best mates. It's a lot of fun."

"Do you all live together?"

"Yep. It's a laugh. Every day is always fun."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Danny turned red and so did Olivia. "Okay," she blushed, "I think you should go brush you teeth and put your pajamas on."

"Oooh is my cousin your girlfriend?" she said as she was being pushed towards the stairs. "Kate!" Olivia warned and Danny laughed. "Go get ready for bed. I'll be upstairs in a minute."

"I want Danny to come!" she whined. Danny laughed, "Sure I don't mind."

Kate lie awake in bed as Danny tucked her in. She smiled, "Danny you're my favorite person in  
McFLY." she told him sleepily.

"Well thanks," he grinned. "But you should probably get to bed before your cousin kills both of us for still being awake."

"But I'm not sleepy," she said yawning. "Yes you are," Danny laughed kissing her on the forehead and turning the lights off, "Good night, Kate."

He wandered back downstairs. "I'm sorry," Olivia said, "You shouldn't have had to do all that."

"I really don't mind," he shrugged taking a seat next to her on the couch, "We have a few friends staying with us and one of them has a kid so I'm used to it."

Olivia nodded and the two of them were silent. "Well thanks for all your help,"

"Any time," he smiled staring into her eyes. Every second he spent with her he fell more in love. He had felt like this before and none of his relationships ever seemed to last But this time he prayed things would work. After a few more minutes of silence he leaned in and kissed Olivia on this lips. He pulled away and grinned. She smiled too and leaned back in for another kiss. Before he knew what was happening he was lying on top of her, the two of them on the couch. Her soft hands were on his bare back underneath his t-shirt. She reached for the bottom of it and pulled it off. Danny broke the kiss.  
"Should we really be doing this while your eight year old cousin is asleep upstairs?" he grinned, "I mean what if she wakes up?"

She smirked at him as he leaned in to kiss her again. She reached for the buckle on his belt then slid her thumbs under the top of his boxers sliding those off too. Obviously her cousin wasn't going to stop them.


	30. The Fight

"You seen Danny this morning?" Dougie asked as he walked into the kitchen. The girls were awake and no one knew where Danny was.

"No. Did he even come home last night?" Riley asked. Dougie shrugged, "Hell if I know. I doubt it though. You know Danny."

"what is with that guy. One night stand after one night stand with him." Lauren shook her head. Dougie laughed, "I don't know what you're talking about. To you it's sick. To the rest of the guys in the world he's a legend!"

Riley walked over to the fridge, smacking Dougie in the back of the head on her way there. He rubbed his head, "Ow!"

"Hey you seen Danny?" Harry asked walking downstairs. Everyone else sighed, "Nope."

"He didn't come home last night." Riley explained.

A grin spread across Harry';s face and he chuckled, "Legend."

"You see what I mean!?" Dougie shouted at Riley. She just shook her head and sat back down at the table.

"So I assume the date went well then," Harry said taking a seat next to Lauren. She sighed, "Guess so. According to you towo anyway."

Tom came waltzing in around that time wearing shorts and a Ninja Turtles shirt. "Aye, Danny still asleep then? Or is he home?"

Everyone shook their heads, "he didn't come home last night," they all explained in unison. Tom laughed, taking a seat.

"Legend!" harry and Dougie glared at Lauren and Riley who just shook their heads and returned their attention to their breakfast. The front door opened around that time and everyone looked up as Danny walked in.

"Shit," he said to himself. He was hoping no one would be awake yet and he could go unnoticed. The guys grinned at him and the girls rolled their eyes. Danny came into the kitchen. "Morning."

"Morning," Tom said with a goofy grin on his face, "And how was last night?"

"Musta been good, he didn't come home," Dougie said sending Tom and Harry into a fit of giggles. Danny turned red, "Mate, nothing happened. We watched a movie and then I fell asleep."

They didn't buy it. Not even the girls, who refused to take part in the conversation. They all glared at him, making his face even redder.

"I swear to God guys!"

More glares.

"Her eight year old cousin was asleep upstairs. We couldn't have done it there!"

More glares.

"Why don't you believe me?!" he asked them. Lauren laughed, "Because you're shirt is on backwards."  
Danny looked down to see his shirt on the wrong way. Everyone laughed and Riley patted his shoulder, "Very smooth. But nice try."

Everyone cleaned up their breakfast and Dougie retreated to his room to continue working on his song. Tom walked in and began reading over his shoulder, "That's really good, Doug."

Dougie juimped. He didn't even know Tom was in the room. "Thanks." he sighed putting his notebook away. "Listen, Riley;s going to the store. She wanted to know if you wanted to come."

Dougie stood up, "Sure."

He and Riley drove down to the grocery store and while Riley was looking at cereal to buy, Dougie was in the toy section playing with a batmobile.

"Dougie!" Riley laughed grabbing him by the hand and leading him away from the toy aisle. "Can I ever take you shopping again? I swear every time I do you end up getting into trouble."

"i know," he said with a wry grin, "you may have to put me in time out. Tie me down and all that." he shook his butt at her and she laughed and hit it. "Yeah, you'd like that."

"You know it," he smiled. Riley rolled her eyes, "Behave yourself."

Dougie pouted, "That's no fun."

The two of them paid for their things then headed back out into the parking lot. As they were loading the groceries into the car Dougie saw a guy getting out of his car. he looked so familiar but he couldn't place where he knew him from. The man eyed Dougie as well and Riley looked up and her heart nearly stopped. Not now! she thought. He made his way over to the two of them.

"Riley," he smiled. Dougie stared at him, then realized who he was. Cole.

"Not now, Cole." Riley sighed. He put his arm around her waist, "Aw come on." he tried.

"Not now, Cole." she repeated shaking him off. Next he looked at Dougie. "So you must be Dougie."

Dougie took a good long look at the guy, balled his hand into a fist and swung as hard as he could nailing him right under his left eye. He stumbled backwards then looked up at Dougie, shocked. "Dougie!" Riley shouted at him. Dougie just ignored her. Cole came towards him and put him in a headlock, hitting him in the face then shoving him to the ground. Cole sat on top of Dougie with Dougie's arm twisted against the pavement.

"You're in no position to mess with me right now," Cole said through clenched teeth.

"You're in no position to be speaking to me or Riley right now," Dougie responded, also through clenched teeth.

"So you're the one she cheated on me with just a year ago," he said, almost in a friendly voice. "And you're the bd who got her pregnant and then left her like the coward you are." Dougie shot back. Next, he felt a foot on his arm. He closed his eyes tightly and heard the snap of the bone before he actually felt the pain. Once he did he cried out in pain. "Ahh!" he cradled his left arm in his right. Riley knelt down by his side and looked up at Cole, tears in her eyes, "Get lost, Cole! Please just leave us alone! You are the biggest jerk I have met in my life and I don't know how you even fucking live with yourself anymore. YOUR son is nearly two years old and all you care about is yourself. Get lost."

Cole laughed to himself as he walked away and Dougie fought back tears trying to move his left arm. He could only managed to wiggle his fingers. The pain that spread through his entire body was enough to make him sick. He lie on the cold pavement while Riley phoned the rest of the boys. "You'll be alright, Dougie." she assured him. All he could do was lie in pain. Not just the pain of his arm but the pain he felt for Riley, having to see Cole after all that had happened. He felt sick again and managed to push himself up and make his way over to the side of the road. Riley cried into the phone and Tom could barely hear her words on the other end of the phone. He did make out 'hurt, Dougie, Cole, Fight, and grocery store.' Tom told Danny and harry then got back on the phone, "We'll be right there."


	31. Knight in Shining Armor

"Dammit, Dougie. What did you do?" Harry asked seeing Dougie lying in the parking lot, not able to move his arm. He wasn't mad at Dougie. He was just angry in general. He and Tom helped him up and got him into the back of the car as gently as they could. Riley sat in the back next to him and Danny drove while Tom, Harry and Lauren were in Tom's car with Nicky. Dougie was falling in and out of consciousness on the way to the hospital. The pain in his arm was making his head spin and it was making him sick. He winced in pain any time Danny hit a bump and Dougie's arm moved.

"You're gonna be alright," Riley whispered to him until he finally fell to sleep.  
He woke up some time later to see Danny sitting at his bedside. He gave him a crooked grin when he woke up, "Mornin' Dougie."

"How long was I out?" he asked.

"Oh not long. An hour or so maybe. Jeez, he beat you up good." Danny commented. Dougie just gave a weak smile as everyone else piled into the hospital room. Dougie's arm was in a cast and he sighed. "I hate casts."

"Yeah so do I. Now I'm going to have to be doing everything for you again," Harry joked. Dougie smiled, "Oh yeaahh. I forgot about that."

"are you okay?" Lauren asked, worried. Dougie nodded, "I'm fine."

"You sure?" Riley asked. He nodded, "I swear. I'm fine."

A few minutes later Danny turned around and saw someone at the door. He jumped up and smiled when he saw her. "Hi."

"Hi Danny," she said hugging him. It was Olivia. "I just wanted to make sure Dougie was doing okay."

"Thanks," Dougie grinning from his hospital bed, "I'm fine. Did I hit my head or something?"

"No...why?" Riley asked.

"Cuz I have no idea who she is," Dougie laughed. Danny smiled, "This is Olivia."

"Ohhh right. The one you--" Harry clamped his hand over his mouth before he could finish his sentence. Dougie got aggravated and licked it forcing Harry to pull it away and wipe it back on Dougie's face. Danny rolled his eyes, "Well it means a lot that you came."

"Yeah. It means a lot." Dougie agreed smiling.

He was allowed to leave that day. Danny ranted the whole way home that he was going to find Cole and kill him. Riley knew he wouldn't but she thought it was sweet that he'd want to try. Olivia rode home with them in the front seat.

"You want to come back for dinner?" Danny asked her. She glanced sideways at him. "Err..I can't. I'm really busy tonight with work and everything. Maybe some other time?"

"Sure," Danny said pulling up to her house, "I'll call you later, then."

"Alright. Thanks. Hope you feel better soon Dougie."

"Thank you," he smiled as she hut the door. When she was in the house Dougie whistled, "How fit is she? I'm jealous mate. Thoroughly jealous."

Riley hit him in the back of the head. "Ow!"

Dougie headed to his room when everyone got home and flopped down in his bed. He was feeling pretty lousy since they left the hospital. The pain in his arm was almost gone, but that might have just been from the pain killers. But now that he thought about it, he just felt numb. Everything about him was just numb. Everything that had happened at the grocery store was replaying through his head.

"Dougie?" Riley knocked on his door, "Are you okay?"

"No." He mumbled into his pillow, "I'm not."

"What;s wrong?" she asked sitting at the edge of his bed. Dougie sighed, "I tried to stick up for you, Riley. I tried to stand up to Cole and I wanted to prove myself for once. And I couldn't even do that. I ended up getting my ass kicked. I tried to do all that for you...and I couldn't."

"Dougie you didn't fail." Riley told him, "You DID stand up to him. You got your arm broken for me, and that's more than I could have asked from anyone. You couldn't help the fact he was bigger than you."

"I just wanted to be the hero for once," Dougie sighed, then looked up shyly, "I wanted your knight in shining armor."

"Well I don't want a knight in shining armor," Riley smiled, "I want a bassist in a Hurley T-shirt."


	32. Alphabetizing Skittles

Danny sprawled across the couch staring at the fan spinning around and around on the ceiling. He was getting dizzy. But he couldn't think of anything else to do.

"Dan, what do you wanna do tonight?" Tom asked sitting on top of Danny's chest. Danny groaned, "Ow...not get crushed by your fat butt," he shoved Tom off of him.

"Seriously, dude. What do you wanna do? I'm bored. And I'm sure you're not actually entertained by just laying here."

Danny smiled, "Naw. I'm not."

"Then come on! Get up! what are you even doing home anyway?" Tom asked. Danny shrugged, "Olivia couldn't go out tonight so I have nothin' to do."

"Uh huh..." Tom nodded, "Well hang out with me then! Come on! Get off your ass!"

Alright lets go somewhere." Danny laughed "Where we goin'?"

"Let's go clubbing," Tom grinned cheekily. Danny smiled too, "Hell yeah dude. We haven't been able to do that in a while."

"Just you and me, man. Like old times. Room of the Third Floor days," Tom smiled as he headed to his room to change. The two of them got into the small blue car and headed off to the bar. The two of them laughed remembering old times when they lived in the small hotel room on the third floor of that hotel.

"James was by far the messiest guy I have ever had to live with," Tom laughed remembering the pizza boxed sprawled out all over the floor and the impossibly messy beds.

"Oh, god, I know. We never cleaned that place. And all the complaints about us were quite flattering," Danny laughed taking a sip of his beer and leaning back in his chair. Being in McFLY had it's advantages. Especially since the bartender recognized them and got them free drinks. She tried chatting up Danny but he was either oblivious to the fact she was flirting with him or he just didn't care.

Hours had passed and both Tom and Danny were pretty drunk. Danny was the worse off, as usual. He was laughing and having a good time, he and Tom dancing to the loud rap music blaring from the speakers. The two of them caught their breath and sat back down. "Tom...you are...amazing." Danny said to his friend taking a sip from yet another beer.

"No my friend, I believe YOU are." Tom said to him. He looked around at the few people left in the bar and spotted a couple making out in the corner. He eyed the girl. Why did she look strangely familiar.

"Hey," Tom patted Danny's shoulder, "Inn't that Olivia over there sucking face with that guy?"

"Where?" Danny looked around before spotting her. Once he did he stared at Tom in disbelief. He finally found the courage to get up and break up the party. Whether he actually was brave enough to do that, or it was just the alcohol, Tom wasn't sure, but in any case he shoved the guy off of Olivia then shouted at them both.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Danny. What are you doing here?" Olivia asked smoothing out her shirt.

"What am I doing? What are YOU doing? I thought you had to work and don't fucking tell me this is your job because I find it hard to believe he pays you for this!" he shouted.

"Danny!" Olivia shouted back.

"No. You listen to me. I'm sick and tired of your bullshit," he shouted. That was the alcohol talking because as far as he knew, this was the only time she had given him any bullshit.

"Hey, stay out of this," the guy started, but Danny hit him in the face sending him sprawling to the floor.

"Danny!" Olivia shouted again. "Please. Just let me talk."

"I'm sure a mouth as busy as yours has been doesn't have much time to talk. Go back to doing what you do best," he said coldly before turning away. The guy got up and hit Danny in the face but this time Danny ignored him and just walked out of the bar. Tom followed.

"Dude," he said, "I'm really sorry. You okay?"

"I'm fine," he wiped his nose with the back of his hand, "Screw her. Screw everything man. I'm outta here." he began walking down the dimly lit street.

"Were are you going?" Tom shouted at him. But it was apparent where he was going. He was going to do what he always did when he had girl troubles. Get too drunk to even remember it.

* * *

"You know, I don't even know what the fuck I'm doing here," Danny said as he pulled his mouth away from another girl's. He hadn't managed to get her name, but in the state he was in he wouldn't have remembered it anyway. "I mean, screw everyone, am I right? Just screw everyone. No one in this world will ever have you back. Everyone is a fucking screw up." His words were slurred together and he had no idea what he was saying. He kissed the girl again before Tom came into the bar and pulled Danny away from her.

"EXCEPT this man right here," Danny said with a small grin, "This man right here will always have my back. Only guy on Earth who does, right Tommy boy?"

"Sure, Danny." Tom said putting his arm around Danny's shoulder, "We're going home now, alright?"

"Alrighty, Tom." he said leaving the girl, who he still had no idea what her name was. Tom threw Danny into the passengers seat and drove home while Danny babbled on about the chick he met. When they got home Tom helped Danny to his room and Danny fell onto his bed still talking sleepily. Tom took his shoes off for him.

"Tom, you're my best friend," he mumbled.

"Yeah," Tom sighed, "Alright, buddy. Now go to sleep."

The next morning Tom woke up to find Danny on the couch, shirtless and a bag of Skittles in his hand. "Morning Danny!" he said happily. Danny groaned, "Not so loud." He poured some more Skittles into his hand and lined them up on his chest.

"Mate, what are doing?" Tom laughed.

"Alphabetizing my Skittles," Danny grumbled lining up the small colored candies. Tom shook his head, "Feeling better?"

"No." Danny shook his head. "I feel worse than before."

"And what did we learn from this?" Tom asked.

"That alcohol isn't the answer," Danny said in a mocking tone. Tom smiled, "Good. Maybe you'll think better next time and you won't feel so bad,"

"Yeah," Danny mumbled to himself. "Too bad the hangover isn't the only reason I'm feeling this lousy,"


	33. This is It

After several attempts to get Danny out of his room and out doing something, Tom gave up. It was useless. Danny was as depressed as he's ever been.

"Danny," Tom groaned after his third, maybe fourth trip to Danny's bedroom, "She was a whore! Forget about her."

"She wasn't just a whore," Danny complained with a small smile, "She was MY whore."

"Even so," Tom laughed, "She's not worth it. Forget her."

"I can't just FORGET!" he shouted.

"So you're just going to do this all day?" Tom said shouting back at him. "Sit around drinking soda after soda and watching porn!?" If it was tough love he wanted, it was tough love he was going to get. Danny just shrugged, "It seems to be working out fine for me."

"You're hopeless!" Tom threw his hands in the air and walked out of the room.  
"Fuck you," Danny mumbled as Tom shut the door. Even though he didn't mean it, Tom still heard it and for some reason, it hurt.

"He's miserable..." Tom groaned sitting down at the kitchen table across from Lauren and burying his head in his hands. Danny was upstairs trying to sleep off his hangover and the pain that came with knowing Olivia was cheating on him.

"He'll get over it." Lauren assured him, "You know Danny."

"Yeah," Tom sighed, "I hope so."

Danny came down around that time in his boxers scratching his head and opening the fridge. Tom and Lauren just looked at his miserable expression and sighed. Maybe he wouldn't get over it as fast as they'd hoped.

"What's the time?" he mumbled, barely audible.

"Four." Tom told him. Danny nodded and retreated back to his room with a can of soda in his hand. They heard the ringing of their doorbell and Tom got up to answer it.

When he opened the door his first instinct was to punch someone. But instead he just stared, dumbfounded.

"Olivia?"

"Hi," she said quietly, "Danny home?"

"Uh..hang on." he said. "DANNY!" he shouted through the house without ever taking his eyes off Olivia. She took a small step back. Danny came around the corner, still in his purple boxers. "What?" he grumbled.

"You have a visitor." Tom said before stepping out of the room. Danny took one look at Olivia and slammed the door.

"Danny!" Lauren shouted from the kitchen "At least talk to her."

"Fine." he sighed opening the door again. "Sorry."

"Uh...sure." Olivia shook her head. "Can we go for a walk? I need to talk to you."

"Sure." Danny took one step out of the house, then turned around and ran back to his room. He threw the same clothes on that he had worn yesterday that were lying on his floor then stepped out of the house.

"You have about thirty seconds." he told her.

"Danny what happened last night was out of line," she began.  
"No shit..." he mumbled. "Just because you have the guts to come talk to be about this doesn't mean I'll think twice about forgiving you."

"Danny please," she was begging by this time, "Just one more chance."

"One more chance to what?" he snapped, "One more chance to get me in bed, then screw me over like last time? No thanks."

"That's NOT what I meant!" she shouted at him.

"Well that's what I heard..." Danny told her turning around. "So this is it?" she shouted at him. He stopped in his tracks and turned back to her. He walked up to her, placed his hands on her waist then kissed her softly. She opened her eyes looking up at him with hopeful eyes for more. "This is it." he whispered, still just inches from her face. "You'd better make it fucking last." and made his way back to the house.


	34. 3 Years

**3 Years, 7 Months, and 2 Weeks Later**

"Guys, this is dumb. I have to get home." Dougie was saying as Danny, Harry and Tom were practically dragging him down the road to the restaurant, "Riley's probably wondering where I'm at and I promised Nicky we'd see a movie tonight."

"They'll be fine." Danny assured him with a wide grin, "Just c'mon!"

"I don't know guys," Dougie hesitated.

"Doug, come on. Please. Just one last night out with the guys." Harry begged and the three of them gave him a puppy dog face. Dougie smiled and rolled his eyes, "Okay okay. Fine."

The walked through the doors and Dougie was stunned.

"SURPRISE!"

"Guys!" He groaned, smiling at the same time, "I TOLD you I didn't want a birthday party!"

"And you thought we'd listen?" Lauren asked giving him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He laughed, "Guess that was pretty dumb of me, huh?"

"Happy 20th bro," Tom smiled. Dougie smiled back, "Thanks, mate."

A lot can happen in three years, so let's recap. The four boys all had their own places now, still on the same street though. They had to. They can't spend much time away from each other. Lauren and Harry were still together as were Riley and Dougie. Riley and Nicky had moved in with Dougie, though they weren't married. But Dougie insisted because he still wanted to be around in Nicky's life.

Danny had seen Olivia a few times after what had happened but he was over her. He had been going out with someone else now. Colleen was her name and she was beautiful. He seemed pretty happy with her.

Tom was focused on work, especially now that McFLY had split from their record label and were getting their new album out. And Nicky had just recently turned five.

"Hey buddy." Dougie said lifting Nicky off the ground, "How was school?"

"Today's Saturday, Dougie!" Nicky laughed rolling his eyes.

"Right, right." Dougie nodded. Danny came over around that time giving Nicky a high five, "How's my best friend doin'?" he asked.

"Fine," Nicky answered, "I beat you so bad in football yesterday!"

"Yeah yeah," Danny said, "That;s only because I let you win."

"I quit letting him win and I still lose," Dougie told Danny. "That's cause you suck." Danny pointed out.

"Ha ha. Funny guy, are you?" Dougie set Nicky back down and gave Riley a kiss, "Thanks," he told her.  
Everyone was there. Even Matt, Charlie and James had showed up, even after the split of Busted. They sat around remembering old times.

"Remember that time you guys got lost in the woods?" James asked. They laughed remembering each day they were there and soon all three boys and Lauren started poking Dougie "Dougie remembers." Harry laughed. and he was followed by a chorus of "Oooooh"s.

"Yeah...I remember." He turned red. Nicky looked up, "Remember what?"

"That's where you were conceived, buddy." Danny told him. Dougie punched him hard in the arm, "Dude!" Danny laughed and soon everyone else did too but Danny's comment hurt a bit, reminding Dougie that Nicky wasn't actually his. But he had grown to accept that fact, because all that mattered was that he loved Nicky.

"What's conceived mean?" Nicky asked tugging on Danny's sleeve.

"It's when--" Dougie clamped his hand over Danny's mouth and everyone laughed. He looked down at Nicky, "Don't listen to Uncle Danny. He's crazy."

Shortly after everyone was finished eating dinner, Dougie stood up and cleared his throat. "Hey everyone." he tried, but he was too quiet. Everyone kept talking.

"Guys!" he said a littler louder. Tom was the only one who noticed. "HEY EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LET THE MAN SPEAK!" Tom shouted. Everyone got quiet. "Thanks man," Dougie laughed.

"Alright, there's something...that I've been wanting to do for a while and I haven't had the guts to." Dougie began. He walked over to Riley's chair and took her hand, "We've been through a lot together huh?" he said. Riley gave him a half smile and nodded.

"Getting lost in the woods...raising a kid..."

"SEX!" Danny shouted and ended up getting a few pieces of bread thrown at him. He laughed and held up his hands, "Hey, I'm just saying."

"Thank you Danny..." Dougie said sarcastically before turning back to Riley, "Anyway after everything that's happened you and I remained close. Best friends, even. And I wanted to ask you something."

He got down on his knee,

"Will you marry me?"


End file.
